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Avian flu becomes reality for British business06 February 2007United Kingdom
Now that the A/H5N1 avian ‘flu has become a reality in the United Kingdom, the need for businesses to seriously consider contingency planning is brought into sharp focus. Hitherto this was a threat that occurred somewhere else in the world – mainly Asia. But the Suffolk outbreak and the recent events in Russia and Hungary over the weekend highlight the unpredictable nature of the virus and its devastating effects.
The current human risk is minimal, but the threat of a pandemic has not gone away. For businesses, this latest episode raises the question: “How would my business be affected if an influenza pandemic did occur?” Business and the HR community face a number of issues in relation to a pandemic, amongst them: employee health and safety, business continuity and risk reduction strategies. A recent survey of British business on the subject of contingency planning* showed that of the 300 companies interviewed: 43% had no contingency plan, and 91% said that contingency planning involved fitting locks, fire alarms and sprinklers. Of the 187 companies who had a plan, only 18% had ever tested it! “On a worldwide basis, it is our experience that only a small number of multi-national companies are taking the threat of a pandemic seriously,” says Dr David Cook, UK Medical Director of Hammersmith based International SOS. “As the full risks of how H5N1 could develop are unknown, it is easy to see how important it is for companies to have their own Pandemic Preparedness Plans in place, ready to be activated should the need arise. Although the UK’s national plans rank favourably in our analysis of countries’ preparedness worldwide, corporations with a large proportion of international business travellers would be advised to develop their own corporate plans.” *Eagle Star & Association of British Insurers: www.office-shadow.com/business-continuity-management/business-continuity-statistics-2.html Note to editors: To speak with Dr Cook please contact either: Ian Hawkins About International SOS: International SOS has global operations in over 65 countries, spanning five continents. The company has had a team of medical experts tracking the spread of Avian Flu A/H5N1, and researching the developing body of knowledge, since January 2004, It has also developed Pandemic Preparedness Plans and training for some of the world’s leading companies. The company’s dedicated website http://www.internationalsos.com/pandemicpreparedness provides comprehensive information and the latest news on the virus. |
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