On a day when it is revealed that the swine flu vaccine will be available for the whole of the UK population, the illness also claims two more victims, a six year old girl, and a GP from Bedfordshire as reported on sky news. In addition the flu has also reached 10 Downing Street where an Aide has the infection.
The leading authorities have been proven right in stating that the only certaintly about swine flu is uncertainty. One week the press reports that the symptoms are mild and there really is nothing to worry about, another week there are cases of seamingly healthy individuals being killed. Who knows how it would affect you or I?
I also found out today that swine flu is now present in the immediate area within which I live, as reported by my daughter’s nursery. This information, coupled with what we are hearing today has started getting me really worried. My immediate reaction is one of wanting to keep my family close to me and away from potential infection.
It really is time that we started closing ranks and finding ways of working flexibly to stop this flu pandemic being the killer that it has the potential to be. There is no reason why this pandemic could not be as lethal as that of 1918, if the virus mutates faster than a vaccine can be made. We have to protect ourselves as well as our colleagues and businesses. Working from home or an isolated location appears to me to be the best solution all round, and I for one will be doing so to protect my family, as I did last Christmas to spare family and friends from the seasonal flu we all suffered.
Tags: business continuity, flexibility, flexible, flexible working, pandemic, remote working, swine flu
