Press Release
June 28, 2009

Plan, prepare, and practice pandemic continuity program
for gov't and private sector-- Gordon

Despite the Department of Health's issuance of Interim Guideline No. 16 which relaxes controls against the spread of the A(H1N1) flu virus, Senator Richard Gordon (Ind.) stressed that now would be the best time to develop and practice pandemic continuity programs.

Under the new Interim Guideline No. 16, travelers arriving from countries with reported A(H1N1) cases no longer have to observe home quarantine before they return to their schools or workplaces. It also lifts mandatory hospital confinement for all confirmed and suspected cases.

Gordon said that in the event that a deadlier pandemic reaches the country and affects a much larger number of people, it could lead to government offices and businesses closing up as employees and workers fail to report to work -- either because they are infected or they are taking care of someone who is infected.

"A continuity program should answer what we can do to keep vital government offices and businesses functioning should a deadlier pandemic reach the country. Ideally such a program would be in place and be practiced long before the emergency of a threat," said Gordon.

The senator underlined the necessity for both the public and private sectors to draft plans on how to keep their offices and factories functioning in the event that a more pernicious flu pandemic enters the country. A continuity program, among other things, takes into account the impact of pandemics on the staffing of organizations during worst case scenarios when employees are unable to come to work.

"What will our people in call centers or banks do at the height of a pandemic? Or, perhaps, what will we do in case our airport traffic controllers get bogged down with the A(H1N1) flu? We have to answer those questions now and start practicing those measures early; so that when the time comes, there will be no panic and people will be better prepared to deal with pandemics," said Gordon.

Moreover, the senator stressed that elements of the continuity program should already be put into practice such as precautionary measures against the spread of the viral infection.

"The single recorded death of the congress employee who was infected with A(H1N1) should be taken as a warning sign, especially considering that she infected at least three others. Private and public offices should revise their personnel policies to account for pandemic risk cases as well as strengthening hygiene practices and adjusting provisions for health care," said Gordon.

News Latest News Feed