This is taken ‘word for word’ from Yorkshire’s largest employer, Leeds City Council. Issued to all 35,000 staff last week, it seems they’re dropping like flies, with one small office of only 35 moving from a partner at home having it last week, to current staff toll SENT HOME, under doctor’s orders, at FIVE and counting….
I’ve pasted here the Council’s advice in its entirety. Maybe, if you heed it, you won’t suffer the same.
Leeds City Council
Occupational Health Service
Pandemic Influenza – Information for Staff
If you think you have swine Flu
If you think you have swine flu, the advice is to stay at home and contact your GP’s surgery. Your GP will tell you what to do next.
Based on symptoms, the GP may also advise general treatment such as bed rest, using paracetamol to reduce temperature, plenty of oral fluids etc.
What are the risks of swine flu?
Most of the cases reported in the UK have been mild. Where people have become seriously ill, they have generally had underlying health problems.
Pandemic Influenza – High risk groups
Doctors should give priority to early treatment with antiviral medicine to people in higher risk groups.
If you have:
- Chronic lung disease
- Chronic heart disease
- Chronic kidney disease
- Chronic liver disease
- Chronic neurological disease
- Immunosuppression (whether through disease or treatment)
- Diabetes mellitus
Or are:
- on drug treatment for asthma within the past three years
- Pregnant
- aged sixty five years or over
you should contact your GP by telephone as soon as you have symptoms.
Signs and symptoms of flu:
The main symptoms are the sudden onset of:
Fever
Cough or shortness of breath
Other symptoms may include:
- Headache
- Tiredness
- Chills
- Aching muscles
- Sore throat
- Runny nose
- Sneezing
- Loss of appetite
The incubation period is from one to four days, though most commonly two to three days.
People are most infectious soon after they develop symptoms. They can continue to spread the virus, for example in coughs and sneezes for up to five days (seven in children). People become less infectious as their symptoms subside and once the symptoms are gone, they are no longer infectious.
How is it caught and spread?
Like winter flu, swine flu spreads from person to person by close contact. Some examples of how the virus is spread include:
- From a person who is infected coughing and / or sneezing within a short distance
- By touching or shaking the hand of an infected person and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes without washing your hands
- Touching surfaces (e.g. door handles) that have become contaminated with the flu virus and then touching your mouth, eyes or nose without first washing your hands
What should you do if you have symptoms or are ill?
If you feel ill with symptoms of a flu like illness while at work, it is important that you don’t simply carry on working.
You should report your symptoms immediately to you manager or team leader and, if they are consistent with flu, you should be sent home.
You should contact your GP and not to return to work until the symptoms have cleared and you feel well enough to return.
If you develop symptoms whilst you are not at work you should:
- Stay at home
- Not go to work until fully recovered
- Contact your GP surgery and tell your doctor what symptoms you have.
- Inform your manager to let them know
Once your symptoms have gone, you should wait for forty eight hours before returning to work.
A return to work would also depend on how ill you have been and how soon you feel better after your symptoms have gone.
As long as you have been free of symptoms for forty eight hours, there is no barrier to your returning to work at Leeds City Council.
What should you do to protect yourself and others from flu?
It is important to make sure that you:
- Use a tissue to cover your nose and mouth when coughing and / or sneezing, dispose of the tissue promptly and then wash your hands thoroughly
- Tissues should be disposed of in the domestic waste – they do not require any special treatment
- You should not use cloth handkerchiefs or reuse tissues. This carries the risk of contaminating pockets or handbags which may then recontaminate hands each time they go into their pockets or handbags and spread the infection.
- You should clean your hands frequently, especially after coughing, sneezing and using tissues. Soap and water is perfectly effective. However hand rubs (microbicidal hand rubs, particularly alcohol – based) can be used as an alternative.
- You should avoid touching your mouth, eyes or nose unless you have recently cleaned your hands
- Normal household detergent and water should be used to clean surfaces frequently touched by hands
- You should clean your hands as soon as you get to work and when you arrive home.
