Businesses plan for H1N1

OSHKOSH - About 40 area businesses turned out in Oshkosh to learn more about the H1N1 virus and what they can do to make sure their doors stay open.

"It's already started to go through our workplace and we're looking at the policies that other businesses are putting in place and what the city and state is offering in ways to help our business," said Dick Schnell of Oshkosh.

"Businesses really have to determine how they are going to keep their business running and who's going to do these critical jobs if they have a significant number of people who are out," said Kelli Karpinski of the Oshkosh Chamber of Commerce.

Speakers from Aurora, ThedaCare and Affinity health systems said businesses need to create a plan for the chance many workers are out sick. Part of the plan should include ideas of how to work from home, training others to do different tasks, and giving extra sick days. Dr. Greg Long says the illness should not be too much of a burden on businesses, but they still need to be ready.

"Most people get the illness they're not sick for that long, they get better,” said Long. “They can go back to work, as long as that fever goes away for that 24 hours, there's some pretty specific policies."

The other issue for businesses, event organizers said, is not having accurate information about H1N1.

"I've had people come in that have had it,” said Schnell. “They've gotten it from their kids, but they think they're going to get it from anyone that's within a hundred feet of them. They think they're going to get it from stuff that comes in fro mother suppliers."

Long says it's important for people to stay home if their fever is above 101 degrees. He says being smart with the virus is what will keep businesses afloat during the pandemic.