Dear All,
As you all are aware, swine flu, as an epidemic, has spread worldwide and has also affected India badly. My query relates to the same.
As an HR professional in my company, I have some questions:
- If some employees are showing symptoms of the flu, how should HR communicate with the concerned employee to get medical tests done to confirm whether it is common flu or swine flu? What is the right way to communicate?
- Secondly, if the tests come back positive, should the affected employees be given paid leave or the normal leave to which they are entitled otherwise?
Waiting for responses from all of you.
Regards,
From India, Delhi
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As you all are aware, swine flu, as an epidemic, has spread worldwide and has also affected India badly. My query relates to the same.
As an HR professional in my company, I have some questions:
- If some employees are showing symptoms of the flu, how should HR communicate with the concerned employee to get medical tests done to confirm whether it is common flu or swine flu? What is the right way to communicate?
- Secondly, if the tests come back positive, should the affected employees be given paid leave or the normal leave to which they are entitled otherwise?
Waiting for responses from all of you.
Regards,
From India, Delhi
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See the attachment dear; there are some instructions and other details enumerated below. You can use the contents as fits for your organization.
I agree with you that swine flu awareness is needed, but there is no need to be panicky and join the publicity propaganda carried out by the media and others, which acts as a vehicle to spread misconception rather than to spread scientific information.
These are a few facts about swine flu when discussed with the leading epidemiologists:
1) Swine flu, that is H1N1 flu, is not new; first detected in 1987.
2) The infective stage of the flu is 5 days, 1 day before and 4 days after the onset of symptoms.
3) The best way to prevent its spreading is by asking a patient with symptoms of flu like fever, cough, and a running nose to take rest at home for 4 days so that he does not transmit it.
4) Masks are of limited value, if any, in this disease. It can spread through droplets on your skin, through contact, etc. I have seen that the masks in Pune are worn as a fashion statement. While walking on the road this morning, I saw people wearing masks coming out for a morning walk with their dogs! Many were wearing masks around their necks, etc. In fact, these masks may act as vehicles to carry the virus. Instead, avoiding crowded places or cinema halls or malls where air conditioners are on is advisable because you get recirculated air, where the virus density multiplies.
5) Death after H1N1 flu is not common. In fact, infections like measles take a toll of thousands more every year, and we are oblivious to the facts. Swine flu is being blown out of proportion by the media trying to create hysteria among laypeople.
6) Fever accompanied by respiratory distress should be immediately notified, as it is likely to be a complication of H1N1 flu.
7) The mortality is less than 0.01 percent of those affected, which means maybe one in 10,000 affected is likely to suffer a loss of life.
If you remember, 2 years ago SARS was blown out of proportion. What happened? Humans develop immunity to the virus, and the same is going to happen here. We develop immunity in due course of time. The virus is in the air; you cannot stop it. Our bodies are already developing immunity, so there is nothing to panic about.
We need to take care of children and the elderly who have less immunity and not let them go to crowded places, that is all.
WE MUST START THIS CAMPAIGN OF NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THIS FLU AND LET YOUR DAILY WORK CONTINUE AS NORMAL. NO MASKS FOR ORDINARY CITIZENS. HEALTHCARE WORKERS OR THOSE SPECIFICALLY EXPOSED TO A LOT OF CROWDED ENVIRONMENTS MAY BENEFIT BUT IT IS NOT PROVEN.
I am amazed to hear that people are selling masks for Rs. 20 each, which are available for less than Re. 1 in the market.
See who is getting benefited?
Please spread the scientific info. Do not join the bandwagon and stick to science; that should be the order of the day.
SK Giridhar
Organizational expert
Motivational Speaker and Trainer
Insurance & Investment Advisor and Trainer
From India, Secunderabad
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57I agree with you that swine flu awareness is needed, but there is no need to be panicky and join the publicity propaganda carried out by the media and others, which acts as a vehicle to spread misconception rather than to spread scientific information.
These are a few facts about swine flu when discussed with the leading epidemiologists:
1) Swine flu, that is H1N1 flu, is not new; first detected in 1987.
2) The infective stage of the flu is 5 days, 1 day before and 4 days after the onset of symptoms.
3) The best way to prevent its spreading is by asking a patient with symptoms of flu like fever, cough, and a running nose to take rest at home for 4 days so that he does not transmit it.
4) Masks are of limited value, if any, in this disease. It can spread through droplets on your skin, through contact, etc. I have seen that the masks in Pune are worn as a fashion statement. While walking on the road this morning, I saw people wearing masks coming out for a morning walk with their dogs! Many were wearing masks around their necks, etc. In fact, these masks may act as vehicles to carry the virus. Instead, avoiding crowded places or cinema halls or malls where air conditioners are on is advisable because you get recirculated air, where the virus density multiplies.
5) Death after H1N1 flu is not common. In fact, infections like measles take a toll of thousands more every year, and we are oblivious to the facts. Swine flu is being blown out of proportion by the media trying to create hysteria among laypeople.
6) Fever accompanied by respiratory distress should be immediately notified, as it is likely to be a complication of H1N1 flu.
7) The mortality is less than 0.01 percent of those affected, which means maybe one in 10,000 affected is likely to suffer a loss of life.
If you remember, 2 years ago SARS was blown out of proportion. What happened? Humans develop immunity to the virus, and the same is going to happen here. We develop immunity in due course of time. The virus is in the air; you cannot stop it. Our bodies are already developing immunity, so there is nothing to panic about.
We need to take care of children and the elderly who have less immunity and not let them go to crowded places, that is all.
WE MUST START THIS CAMPAIGN OF NOT TO BE AFRAID OF THIS FLU AND LET YOUR DAILY WORK CONTINUE AS NORMAL. NO MASKS FOR ORDINARY CITIZENS. HEALTHCARE WORKERS OR THOSE SPECIFICALLY EXPOSED TO A LOT OF CROWDED ENVIRONMENTS MAY BENEFIT BUT IT IS NOT PROVEN.
I am amazed to hear that people are selling masks for Rs. 20 each, which are available for less than Re. 1 in the market.
See who is getting benefited?
Please spread the scientific info. Do not join the bandwagon and stick to science; that should be the order of the day.
SK Giridhar
Organizational expert
Motivational Speaker and Trainer
Insurance & Investment Advisor and Trainer
From India, Secunderabad
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