How to Prepare a Company to Deal With SARS

By eHow Health Editor

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Our country has university classes on how to deal with Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Companies like United Technologies and others have teams in place to deal with an outbreak of illnesses like SARS. Companies are preparing for the loss of employees and the need to keep business running as usual at an unusual time. Here are some ideas to help your company deal with SARS.

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Instructions

Difficulty: Moderate

Step1

Plan to maintain business continuity. Appoint a SARS coordinator. Enlist others for the team and educate them on SARS and the consequences of a pandemic. Understand government policies surrounding health pandemics. Analyze your local government's ability to aid in a SARS outbreak and identify which services and employee functions are necessary to maintain the business at a minimum threshold. Review insurance policies and educate the company employees on the team.

Step2

Plan for the impact on the workforce. Prepare for a loss of workforce. Cross-train employees. Review company health insurance and re-evaluate whether it will sustain the company employees in a SARS outbreak. Update the employees on health insurance and company and public resources available to combat SARS.

Step3

Educate employees on what SARS is and how to prevent the spread of SARS. The symptoms are fever, cough, shortness of breath, difficulty breathing, and diarrhea. The disease is spread by close person to person contact. The best way to prevent SARS is to wash hands frequently with warm water and soap or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer. You should also avoid touching others who may be sick.

Step4

Maintain crucial information. Compose a list of suppliers and alternate suppliers if SARS affects a wider range of people. Maintain a database on employees' current contact information. Appoint a spokesperson for the company and redirect the flow of information through a centralized communication center.

Step5

Familiarize the Team with the World Health Organization and other governmental and nongovernmental agencies that will deal with a SARS outbreak. Have contact information for the U.S. Embassy, U.S. Chambers of Commerce, and U.S. business associations that may offer help during a crisis. Share practices with these agencies and ask them for tips on how to prepare your company to deal with SARS.