Business continuity planning: safeguarding your business against a pandemic

The threat of pandemic

The recent emergence of Swine Flu has brought to the fore once again the preparedness of UK business for the threat of a pandemic.

In contrast to the regular seasonal epidemics of influenza, a pandemic occurs irregularly and is far less predictable, affects a large number of people over an extensive geographical area, and has a high incidence of mortality.

Well known recent examples include:

• Spanish Flu (1918) - 20 Million deaths
• Asian Flu (1957) - 2 Million deaths
• Hong Kong Flu (1968) - 1.2 Million deaths

Whilst many businesses in their disaster recovery planning actively consider the threat of fire, flooding, IT or cyber attack, and even earthquakes if they are located in a risk zone, the threat posed by a pandemic is perhaps taken less seriously. Yet the results for the continued existence and business health of an organisation from a serious pandemic can be as equally devastating as a fire or flood.

Although the full effects of Swine Flu have yet to be felt, and the pandemic alert status remains at the World Health Organisation's (WHO) highest level, category five, it is hoped that the consequences can be largely contained by Government and medical authorities around the world.

Even so, the threat of a pandemic from another variant of flu in the future remains high and businesses should be adequately prepared. A report compiled by experts in the WHO - The World Health Report 2007. A safer future: global public health security in the 21st century - suggests that we are now closer to a major flu pandemic than at any time since 1968, the last of the most recent pandemics.

In order to make the task of building stocks of pandemic products easier we have prepared a suggested list of key products. This check list can be viewed and downloaded here.

Should you require more help and information about building pandemic stocks please contact us.