Much like the avian flu (HSN1) outbreak of 2005, influenza H1N1 (aka the “swine flu”) prompted an immediate lockdown on international travel. Despite the urge to quickly mitigate danger, it is never a good idea to make important decisions while in a state of panic. With talk of 30%-50% of the North American population expected to be infected by the H1N1 this flu season, now is the ideal time to create your organization’s pandemic plan – or revisit an existing plan.

What Is the Issue?

IT employees are often at risk of exposure to airborne diseases due to constant travel, face-to-face interaction with numerous individuals, touching well-used surfaces like keyboards, and other factors. While the risks might be obvious, pandemic planning itself is not wholly an IT exercise since it involves collaboration and coordination between all areas of the business.