Yesterday's Advisor discussed the issue of face masks and respirators and H1N1 "swine flu." Today, we'll look at the CDC's specific recommendations and find out about a special training tool for helping all your employees prepare for a flu pandemic.

CDC has issued the following recommendations for face mask and respirator use in preventing infection with H1N1. These apply to non-ill persons in home, community, and occupational settings.

 

Setting

Persons not at increased risk of severe illness from influenza
(non-high-risk persons)

Persons at increased risk of severe illness from influenza (high-risk persons)

Community

No novel H1N1 in community

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Novel H1N1 in community: not crowded setting

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Novel H1N1 in community: crowded setting

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Avoid setting.
If unavoidable, consider face mask or respirator

Home

Caregiver to person with influenza-like illness

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Avoid being caregiver. If unavoidable, use face mask or respirator

Other household members in home

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Occupational (non-health care)

No novel H1N1 in community

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Face mask/respirator not recommended

Novel H1N1 in community

Face mask/respirator not recommended but could be considered under certain circumstances

Face mask/respirator not recommended but could be considered under certain circumstances

Occupational (health care)

Caring for persons with known, probable, or suspected novel H1N1 or influenza-like illness

Respirator

Consider temporary reassignment. Respirator

“Respirator” refers to N95 or any other NIOSH-certified filtering face piece respirator.

The threat of a flu pandemic can have a devastating impact on your company and your employees. Pandemic awareness training is essential, and BLR’s new Pandemic Flu: How to Prevent and Respond PowerPoint® presentation allows you to conduct a self-paced audio training session that gives workers critical guidance without your having to spend hours on research, preparation, or presentation. Get the details.

In addition, CDC has issued the following recommendations for face mask use for persons ill with confirmed, probable, or suspected H1N1.

Setting

Recommendation

Home (when sharing common spaces with other household members)

Face mask preferred, if available and tolerable, or tissue to cover cough/sneeze

Healthcare settings (when outside of patient room)

Face mask, if tolerable

Nonhealthcare setting

Face mask preferred, if available and tolerable, or tissue to cover cough/sneeze

Breastfeeding

Face mask preferred, if available and tolerable, or tissue to cover cough/sneeze

Act Now

The threat of a flu pandemic can have a devastating impact on the nation, your company, and your employees. Panic will be less (and more employees will be at work) if employees know what to expect and what to do to protect themselves, their co-workers, and their families in the event of a pandemic.

That makes flu pandemic awareness training essential. BLR’s new Audio Click ’n Train PowerPoint® presentation, Pandemic Flu: How to Prevent and Respond, allows you to conduct a training session giving critical guidance without spending hours on research and preparation. With the audio, you even have what amounts to a “guest speaker.”

BLR’s Pandemic Flu: How to Prevent and Respond teaches employees how to prevent the spread of infection and how to deal with pandemic flu at work and at home. Find out more.

Throughout the session, interactive activities involve employees and make certain that they understand how they can help protect themselves from careless risk of infection. It reinforces good hygiene and simple precautions.

Pandemic Flu: How to Prevent and Respond will give you confidence that you’ve taken effective steps to make employees aware of pandemic risks and have implemented strategies for responding effectively to the threat.

Get more information or order.

 

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