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(c) 2010-2024 Jon L Gelman, All Rights Reserved.

Friday, January 11, 2013

The Flu: A Compensable Event and Its Complications

Source: US CDC Reports widespread flu activity

For the first time in more than a decade, the seasonal flu is becoming a pandemic  that is causing major business disruptions, and illness and death in the workplace. Despite urgent calls from public health officials and declarations of states of emergency, the flu continues to aversely effect businesses and employees throughout the country.

The laxity amongst employers and employees in getting flu vaccinations, a lack of paid sick days, a shortage of medicine to treat the flu and consequences occurring because of poorly designed vaccination programs, may stretch the nations workers' compensation system to new limits.

Step One
Take time to get a flu vaccine like this young boy from an older female nurse.

Take time to get a flu vaccine.

  • CDC recommends a yearly flu vaccine as the first and most important step in protecting against flu viruses.
  • While there are many different flu viruses, a flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common. (See upcoming season’s Vaccine Virus Selection for this season’s vaccine composition.)
  • Everyone 6 months of age and older should get a flu vaccine as soon as thecurrent season's vaccines are available.
  • Vaccination of high risk persons is especially important to decrease their risk of severe flu illness.
  • People at high risk of serious flu complications include young children,pregnant women, people with chronic health conditions like asthma, diabetes or heart and lung disease and people 65 years and older.
  • Vaccination also is important for health care workers, and other people who live with or care for high risk people to keep from spreading flu to high risk people.
  • Children younger than 6 months are at high risk of serious flu illness, but are too young to be vaccinated. People who care for them should be vaccinated instead.
Step Two

Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs like this mother teaching her young child to wash hands.

Take everyday preventive actions to stop the spread of germs.

  • Try to avoid close contact with sick people.
  • If you are sick with flu-like illness, CDC recommends that you stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever is gone except to get medical care or for other necessities. (Your fever should be gone without the use of a fever-reducing medicine.)
  • While sick, limit contact with others as much as possible to keep from infecting them.
  • Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. Throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
  • Wash your hands often with soap and water. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
  • Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth. Germs spread this way.
  • Clean and disinfect surfaces and objects that may be contaminated with germs like the flu.
  • See Everyday Preventive Actions Adobe PDF file [257 KB, 2 pages] andNonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) for more information about actions – apart from getting vaccinated and taking medicine – that people and communities can take to help slow the spread of illnesses like influenza (flu).
Step Three

Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them like this older woman listening to her doctor.

Take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them.

  • If you get the flu, antiviral drugs can treat your illness.
  • Antiviral drugs are different from antibiotics. They are prescription medicines (pills, liquid or an inhaled powder) and are not available over-the-counter.
  • Antiviral drugs can make illness milder and shorten the time you are sick. They may also prevent serious flu complications. For people with high risk factors Adobe PDF file [702 KB, 2 pages], treatment with an antiviral drug can mean the difference between having a milder illness versus a very serious illness that could result in a hospital stay.
  • Studies show that flu antiviral drugs work best for treatment when they are started within 2 days of getting sick, but starting them later can still be helpful, especially if the sick person has a high-risk health or is very sick from the flu. Follow your doctor’s instructions for taking this drug.
  • Flu-like symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills and fatigue. Some people also may have vomiting and diarrhea. People may be infected with the flu, and have respiratory symptoms without a fever.

Read more sbout the "flu" and workers' compensation:

Oct 23, 2012
Laboratory Workers and Contacts Warned of Accidental Flu Pandemic. Safety in the laboratory workplace is of critical concern as many research laboratory employees suffer from exotic diseases that become workers' ...
 
Oct 24, 2009
As the US flu vaccination program rolls out, the numbers are also growing for those who have reported adverse consequences from the H1N1 vaccine. The victims and their families are also lining up for benefits available in ...
 
Nov 27, 2009
The OSGA directive closely follows the prevention guidance issue by The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) to prevent the spread of H1N1 flu. The purpose of the compliance directive is "to ensure uniform procedures when ...
 
Sep 15, 2009
The 2009 influenza pandemic (flu) has created a new framework of acts and regulations to respond the World Health Organization's (WHO) phase 6 pandemic alert. Governmentally imposed employment disruptions resulting ...