• E-mail
• Print
• Comment
• Font Size
• Digg
• del.icio.us
• Discuss article

Flu's Coming Eventually, Public Health Official Tells Ocala/Marion Chamber

Posted on: Friday, 24 March 2006, 21:00 CST

By Rick Cundiff, Ocala Star-Banner, Fla.

Mar. 25--OCALA, Fla. -- Whether bird flu becomes a serious threat or not, it's only a matter of time before some type of influenza pandemic threatens lives and businesses worldwide, Marion County's top public health official said Thursday.

"There will be an influenza pandemic in the future," Dr. Nathan Grossman told the Ocala/Marion County Chamber of Commerce board of directors. "It might be bird flu, it might be armadillo flu, but there will be an influenza pandemic."

Businesses need to be prepared for an outbreak that could severely curtail their business operations and leave them without workers at a critical time, Grossman said.

"It's not a matter of if, it's a matter of when," he said.

While avian flu is drawing headlines worldwide, it's still very rare in humans, with about 198 cases and 103 deaths reported worldwide, Grossman said.

There are currently no documented cases in animals or humans in the United States, Grossman said. Person-to-person transmission remains extremely rare, he noted.

But the virus travels on the flight path of migratory birds, and probably will be present in the United States sometime this year, he added.

The impact of a global flu outbreak on businesses could be significant. Grossman cited the effects of what the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention consider a "medium-level" pandemic.

"Fifteen to 35 percent of your work force will be either ill and out of work or caring for someone ill and out of work," he said. "You will have a greatly reduced work force."

Some businesses, such as entertainment and tourism venues probably would have to close temporarily to reduce the spread of disease, he added.

Grossman urged the business community to start making plans.

"Businesses need to start preparing now, and in some cases, think outside the box," he said. "We're asking people to plan, not panic."

In response, the Chamber formed a "pandemic committee" to start developing possible response plans. Paul Franck of Franck's Pharmacy will chair the committee.

In other business, the Chamber board considered a confidentiality policy that would require board members to publicly support Chamber policies once they had voted on them, even if they had dissented before the vote.

"Certainly this is not meant to be a chilling effect," Chamber president Jaye Baillie said.

Board chair Manal Fakhoury said the proposal, which was referred to a committee, was a result of the Chamber currently undergoing its quinquennial accreditation process from the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.

"It's a best practice," she said. "There may be times when we may not favor a decision, but we need you to support it as a board member."

The proposal wasn't based on any specific episode of a board member disagreeing with board policy, Fakhoury added. The board also has no plans to close meetings now open to the press, she said.

-----

To see more of the Ocala Star-Bannner -- including its homes, jobs, cars and other classified listings -- or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.starbanner.com.

Copyright (c) 2006, Ocala Star-Banner, Fla.

Distributed by Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News.

For information on republishing this content, contact us at (800) 661-2511 (U.S.), (213) 237-4914 (worldwide), fax (213) 237-6515, or e-mail reprints@krtinfo.com.

Source: Ocala Star-Banner

More News in this Category