Avian (Bird) Infuenza Pandemic

[aussiblue]

Hi, we're developing a Business Contingency Plan at work in case the worse happens. Not as well developed as the Commonwealth Bank's it seems (have a listen to http://www.abc.net.au/rn/latenightli...07/1950470.htm).

in any event I was wondering what other forum members thought about this and to what extent their workplaces were preparing for the eventuality.

some interesting links are:

http://www.health.gov.au/internet/wc...mic-ahmppi.htm for Australia's Management plan.
http://www.who.int/csr/disease/influenza/pandemic/en/ and http://www.who.int/csr/disease/avian.../en/index.html for the WHO site
http://gamapserver.who.int/mapLibrar...chResults.aspx maps of the outbreak status
http://www.singtomeohmuse.com/viewforum.php?f=1 the equivalent of the Ford Forum with contributions by health professionals around the world
http://www.pandemicflu.gov/ the US Government site.

I think it is noteworthy that one of the places with a large and increasing number of deaths is our nearest neighbour and migratory birds don't obey birder closures.

[bob 351]

we went threw all this crap last year not again

[bArNsY]

I'm ready

[4.9 EF Futura]

Where's the option for "Consultants cash in"??

But i kid. In my line of work, i havent been able to avoid pandemic planning... more in the context of business continuity planning and disaster recovery. Our employer has a fairly comprehensive one in place and ive seen several other entity's plans.

The models employed hinge on some fairly critical assumptions about how many people within the organisation will be affected... some of which dont have great method at which they are arrived.

I guess i take the validity of the threat at face value, but there's a part of me that thinks its another thing the world has gotten tied up in knots about.... Y2K, terrorism, bird flu... (maybe just a case of boy cries wolf after seeing 1,000,000 things said and written about avian flu).

Whilst looking at some pandemic issues at work, stumbled across this:

http://birdflubook.com/a.php?id=115

Table of contents on the left hand side, fairly long read but interesting.

From a planning perspective, it seems dangerous to assume that anyone will go to work at all. A lot of people, if asked, will probably tell you they'd rather not go to work. Plenty of jobs can be done from home... plenty cant though. And i havent seen many people assume 100% non attendance... but i guess no point planning if that's the case, lost cause.

Question for ppl... if everyone in town was running around with masks on, sick people everywhere, news reports, hysteria... would you go to work?

[aussiblue]

Thanks 4.9 EF Futura - Good reference.

[Danny]

Hang on!! I've seen this movie! 28 Days later.... Great film!

[Rob]

I picked doom and hoon. Bird flu? Meh.

[S3SR]

how would you prepare for it?

i voted itll never happen because australia is the lucky country :P

[Pursuit_chick]

hmm bird flu
i voted it will never happen here in Australia.
funny as i work in a chicken shop lol

we have phamplets at work, i'll maybe try bring one home and scan it.
i havent read it lol cause really, i dont care. lol

[Flouro_Joe]

Oh, yeah, and everything shut down at mignight on 12/12/1999 remember all those planes that fell from the sky? A lot of people made a lot of money out of that scare.

[4.9 EF Futura]

Originally Posted by Flouro_Joe

Oh, yeah, and everything shut down at mignight on 12/12/1999 remember all those planes that fell from the sky? A lot of people made a lot of money out of that scare.

Agreed.

But this is a big game of poker to be bluffing on, if you get my drift?

[schnoods]

I think it will be the same as :

Rabies
Mad Cow disease ( exists in Aus only as nagging Missus)
Foot and Mouth

The rest of the world have it but we seem to avoid it, Its a worry with Migrating birds but hopefully they'll fall out the sky before they get here.

[Miyagi]

not too concerned... although i'm about to move to Shanghai to live... hehe... hrmm.

[Mikey]

Yeah! Once again scare mongering at its absolute best! When you consider the so called outbreaks in the world, thus far only a dozen or so people have bitten the dust each time. What acrock of absolute ****. What ever propaganda your organisations are filling you with is simply a means to make themselves look good in front of their employees. Here's one for you all. You know the Woolworths ads that say "Woolworths the fresh food people" this campaign was created purely to make their staff feel like they are connetced to a great enterprise. It was not directed at the customers what so ever... Its partly called the power of 'word of mouth' (speading the virus called Woollies) and to make them feel special and brain washing. The example here is basically to make people realise ALL corporations fill us with shite! All for the good to make themselves look great! Its the great Houdinni at its best.

AND yes, i would put my life on it that a pharmacuetical company created the 'Bird Flu' virus in the hope it would affect the masses and profit from what ever drug they have concocted as a cure.

This bird flu crap has been running for the best part of 3 or more years. I remember way back then they were saying this could potentially wipe out half the world. Well, i'm still waiting...

[aussiblue]

AND yes, i would put my life on it that a pharmacuetical company created the 'Bird Flu' virus in the hope it would affect the masses and profit from what ever drug they have concocted as a cure.

Aha conspiracy theorist are alive and well on Ford Forums as well I see.

[Hardtopxb]

K2 all over again..

[aussiblue]

But was the Year 2000 issue not as bad as expected because people planned for it?

[ef_classic]

In these situations people always prepare, plan for the worst.

Ultimately this flue will kill a tiny number of people world wide, its just the media love to get all over something that "could" take out a few million people, but probly wont...

[gtfpv]

my company would sue me if i didn't turn up for work , they wouyld take my house my super , and everything i own because of their policy , if they lose business because of employees , then the company is coming for you. they would make us all work till we drop where i am . and they would restrict themselves from contact, with us . ohhh and the plan; that would be it .