Businesses

Page contents: Business continuity planning resources | Avian influenza: updates and key facts | Human influenza Pandemic Health Management Plans | Resources

A human influenza pandemic will see significant levels of staff absenteeism. This will affect the ability of most industries and businesses to maintain and deliver supplies of goods and services to the community.

Organisations should enhance their business continuity plans to prepare for the direct impacts of extended staff absences during a human influenza pandemic – predicted to be 30 to 50 per cent during the peak of the pandemic.

To minimise the impact of a pandemic, organisations will need to identify their most critical services and personnel and ensure that business continuity plans and pandemic management strategies are in place to enable the delivery of critical services and supplies.

The specific strategies required to support the plans will need to address:

• extended loss of personnel
• extended impact on critical supply chains.

In addition, organisations should expand the focus of their business continuity planning to include the planning undertaken by providers or suppliers that could impact on their organisation. This would include situations where extended unavailability of staff would impact on any service on which the organisation relies, or where one of their critical services is delivered by a third party or outsourced.

Business continuity planning resources

Provided by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services:

• Human Influenza Pandemic - What your organisation needs to do
  If you work in government, the health sector, essential services or for a public infrastructure provider, it’s vitally important that your organisation has a business continuity plan that will enable you to continue operating during a pandemic. This brochure contains advice on how you can contribute to protecting your workplace and your community in the event of a pandemic.

  Human Influenza Pandemic - What your organisation needs to do (345kb, pdf)

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Industry, Tourism and Resources:

• Being prepared for an influenza pandemic

Avian influenza: updates and key facts

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing:

• Avian influenza (Bird Flu) - Key Facts
• Frequently asked questions about Avian influenza or Bird flu
• Latest news about avian influenza or bird flu

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry:

• Avian influenza

Human Influenza Pandemic Health Management Plans

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing:

• The Australian Health Management Plan for Pandemic influenza

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet:

• National Action Plan for Human influenza Pandemic

Provided by the Victorian Government Department of Human Services:

• Victorian health management plan for pandemic influenza

Resources

During flu season, it’s worthwhile reminding people about how to best protect themselves from catching influenza. These two posters describe cough/sneeze etiquette and hand-washing techniques—two important ways people can protect themselves and others from influenza.

Poster: Protect yourself and your family - Cover your cough and sneeze (137kb, pdf)

Poster: Protect yourself and your family - Wash your hands regularly (137kb, pdf)

Provided by the Australian Government Department of Health and Ageing

• Resources for the poultry industry

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