Concentra Urges Employers To Protect Against Swine Flu Outbreak

Main Category: Swine Flu
Also Included In: Flu / Cold / SARS;  Public Health;  Respiratory / Asthma
Article Date: 29 Apr 2009 - 7:00 PDT

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As the Swine Flu epidemic continues to grow and the number of confirmed cases climbs in the U.S., Concentra Urgent Care is advising employers to seek immediate medical attention for any employee who displays flu-like symptoms. Should an employee display a high fever, nausea, fatigue, and cough, medical providers at Concentra Urgent Care can evaluate, treat, and offer prescription medication to help return patients back to good health.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the new Swine Flu strain is spreading from human to human, in the same manner as seasonal flu, through coughing, sneezing, and surfaces contaminated by infected people. To protect employees and patients, Concentra Urgent Care recommends people routinely wash their hands, avoid sharing food or drinks, and limit contact with infected people. To help communicate the importance of safe health practices at the workplace and reduce the spread of the virus, a free wellness poster is available for download at http://www.Concentra.com.

"This is a serious health concern, that can have serious consequences on employers whose workforce could become incapacitated by a flu outbreak," said Concentra Senior Vice President of Medical Operations Bill Lewis, M.D. "Concentra understands the impact a flu outbreak can have on employers in this economy, and has the necessary tests and medical expertise to provide a viable first line of defense in combating the spread of infection among employees and provide patients with quality medical treatment."

Employers face a unique challenge in preventing the spread of the Swine Flu, as most workers share close working space with other employees - leading to faster and easier spread of the virus. Similarly, employers who have even a small portion of its workforce become ill may see higher health care costs and lost employee productivity. As more information about the Swine Flu is collected and the spread of infection is monitored by the World Health Organization, Concentra advises employers to prepare but not panic in order to limit the impact of the outbreak.

"This is a good opportunity to review your company's health and safety policies, communicate with employees about preventive health measures, and increase routine cleanings of communal areas in the workplace," said Concentra National Wellness Director Amy Khan, M.D., M.P.H. "For health care workers, international travelers, and family members and others who come in close contact with Swine Flu patients the use of protective face masks may be appropriate, but are not necessary for the general public at this time."

The Swine Flu, classified as a variation of the H1N1 strain, is a new strain of Influenza that contains genes from North American swine and avian influenza, human influenza, and swine influenza normally found in Asia and Europe. The CDC has confirmed numerous cases of patients infected with the Swine Flu in the U.S. and has issued a public health emergency, releasing 12 million doses of antiviral medications to federal, state, and local health organizations. Public health officials have confirmed cases in California, Kansas, Texas, Ohio, Indiana, and New York. Other countries have also reported cases of Swine Flu, including New Zealand, Spain, Canada, and most notably Mexico - which has suffered the only fatalities since the outbreak. There have been no flu-related deaths in the U.S. to date and cases have been mild in comparison to other countries.

Symptoms of the flu-like illness include a high fever, body aches, coughing, sore throat, respiratory congestion and, in some cases, vomiting and diarrhea. The new virus is being spread through human-to-human transmission, and is not contracted through eating pork or pork products. No vaccine specifically protects against Swine Flu, and it is unclear how much protection current human flu vaccines might offer. More information on the Swine Flu, including a health safety checklist for families, can be found at http://www.Concentra.com .

Concentra Urgent Care offer health care services for a wide range of serious injuries and illnesses, including colds and flu, seasonal allergies, skin infections, broken bones, and many other conditions, as well as wellness services such as immunizations, physicals, and vaccinations. With locations throughout the nation, many with weekend and extended evening hours, Concentra delivers comprehensive health care solutions to patients - providing the care they need, when they need it most.

About Concentra®

Concentra is a leading health care company focused on improving America's health, one patient at a time. Through its affiliated clinicians, the company provides occupational medicine, urgent care, physical therapy, and wellness services from more than 300 medical centers in 40 states. In addition to these medical center locations, Concentra serves employers by providing a broad range of health advisory services and operating more than 250 worksite medical facilities. Through this complement of services, Concentra intends to raise the standard of health by putting individuals first, treating them with clinical excellence, and focusing on their ongoing wellness.

Source
Concentra

Further information on Swine Flu

• See a Map Of H1N1 Outbreaks
• See our Mexico Swine Flu Blog