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Business Advisory Network for Flu meeting

09 July 2009

On June 30 2009, the UK government’s Civil Contingencies Secretariat provided an update on 'Swine Flu' in the UK and their current approach to the disease. The audience represented some 150 organizations, including the Business Continuity Institute (BCI).

BCI's notes of the Business Advisory Network for Flu meeting include these updates::

• In terms of planning for the impact on business, the key point is that the disease will not hit everywhere at the same time, rather there will be geographically limited outbreaks. School closures were recognised for their major impact on businesses and the guidance from government had now changed to a position where the presumption would be that schools would stay open. Local risk assessments would still be carried out though. The benefit would be lower parent-worker absences than in the government’s planning guidelines. In terms of mass gatherings and transport systems, the government has no intention to stop either.

• For absence rates, the tentative planning metric was an 'average' absence level of approximately 12% above normal absence rates i.e. lower than the government’s planning assumptions, which reflects the milder form of the virus. Clearly organisations where employees are in close proximity to each other may experience higher levels.

• In terms of the 'clinical attack rate', the view from government is that more people will show mild symptoms than expected but more will be able to work than expected. It was thought that one week’s absence would be sufficient.

• By way of analogy, the likely impact was likened to the Summer holiday period or Christmas holiday period depending on the organisation’s operating model i.e. rolling periods of relatively high absence levels.

Part of the meeting focused on presentations from the following:

• Business Continuity Institute – how BCM can help prepare for the impact of a pandemic.
• Case Study: Transport for London – preparations for pandemic flu.
• Case Study: BT Group – preparations for pandemic flu.
• Scottish Power – collective efforts in the energy sector.

The concluding note was that swine flu would become much more noticeable in the public conscience now and the impact would begin to be felt. However the advice from government was that “no plan survives first contact with the enemy”, there is a need for proportionality, to be prepared and to learn.

Read the BCI's notes from the latest Business Advisory Network for Flu meeting which took place on 30 June 2009. [PDF 119KB]

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