The keys to surviving the Cold & Flu Season

Fall brings colorful beauty, cool crisp air, and more time indoors where cold and flu viruses flourish.

Fall colds and flu are nothing for companies to sneeze at. According to the Centers for Disease Control typically cold & flu season begins in October and can last through May with higher activity peaks from December through February.

The CDC notes, "Every year influenza, or "flu", affects employers and businesses. Flu costs the U.S. approximately $10.4 billion in direct costs for hospitalizations and outpatient visits for adults. https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/season/flu-season.htm

Prevention

Remember Benjamin Franklin's axiom that "An ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure"? So how can you help prevent colds & flus in your company?

• Flu vaccines. Getting a flu shot is not a guaranteed solution but it is a huge factor in preventing and reducing absenteeism due to illness. If your place of business doesn©t provide a flu shot for employees you might try some incentive ideas to reward employees who voluntarily get the vaccine
• Encourage employees to keep their hands clean. Studies show hand washing is still one of the most effective ways to stop illness at any season. To encourage employees to wash their hands, post hand washing signs in restrooms. Providing hand sanitizers throughout the office is another great solution. HART Health's Instant Hand Sanitizer, with Aloe Vera and vitamin E, is a popular option.
• Keep workspaces clean. Only 80 percent of offices clean their work areas once a week or more, making any work area a potential hot zone for germs. Provide disinfecting wipes, sprays and towels for employees to clean their desks and keyboards a few times a week, if not daily. NorMed offers several convenient surface wipes andsprays that are simple, effective tools to sanitize keyboards, phones and workspaces. 

Protection

So how can you protect employees from those with symptoms?

• Treat the Symptoms. While there is no cure for the cold or flu, there are many over the counter medications you can stock in your office first aid kit, including cough suppressants, fever reducers and nasal decongestants. These may help reduce the spread of germs by reducing the sneezing, sniffling, or coughing that is typically the carrier for germs. Keeping a supply of OTC cold & flu medications on hand for your employees costs only pennies per day and will help your employees stay productive during the cold & flu season.

Have questions about your workplace cold & flu preparedness needs, call 1.800.288.8200. Our customer service staff will be glad to help.