SWINE FLU - FIRMS SHOULD 'PLAN, NOT PANIC' - Swine flu is the number one public health issue facing us in the months ahead. And, in that regard, employers should be planning ahead.
In the next few days, the Health Services Executive is to roll out a public information campaign for employers.
The National Director of Communications at the HSE, Paul Connors, sits on the national crisis management team for the HSE.
Mr Connors says studies have shown that up to 70% of businesses in the US have not prepared for swine flu, and it is possible that this is also the case in Ireland. But he says businesses should not over-react, and should plan rather than panic.
Mr Connors says the first thing businesses should do is acknowledge that the pandemic is real, and that it will affect their businesses. He says they should appoint a 'pandemic czar' to co-ordinate their approach.
Mr Connors says businesses should put in place clear protocols and procedures in relation to hygiene and cleaning issues - guidelines for sneezing etiquette, for example. He says employers should provide tissues and there should also make sure there are facilities for hand-washing.
Asked about the potential rate of absenteeism from swine flu, Mr Connors said the HSE was currently operating on a figure of around 15%.
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NEWS IN BRIEF AND CURRENCIES - The Irish Times quotes Australian retailer Harvey Norman as saying that all of its stores in Ireland are losing money, with sales plunging by as much as 40%.
The paper says the company will 'persist' with its 14 Irish stores and try to turn the business around
The euro is worth $1.4203 and 86.82p sterling.
