In a recent article entitled "Stopping the Outbreak of a Virus - Keeping Your Office Healthier during an Outbreak", the author notes that "Virus scares can put many people off coming to work, especially when they believe there will be a serious shortage of jobs. However, by keeping your office well equipped with supplies like chlorine and insect repellents and by creating a safe environment in which to work - using a clean and sanitary work environment is much more important than simply having to take a day off from work." The author then notes, "This is the perfect example of why it's vital that you and your business stay on top of outbreaks - so that you can better deal with them when they do occur. It may not seem important to you right now, but if you do not make sure you are prepared for a pandemic outbreak, you could lose your job for good."

Pandemics are caused by a number of different viruses, each capable of causing a wide variety of different symptoms. When you are planning to implement an effective pandemic response plan, it is important to first determine which viruses are likely to cause an outbreak in your area or workplace and plan accordingly. Once this has been determined, then the next step is to implement pandemic preparedness measures in accordance with the particular virus. If you fail to follow the directions of the pandemic plan, the outbreak could become out of control and the entire company could suffer major losses.

For the majority of cases where an outbreak occurs, the first step in a pandemic response plan is to implement a quarantine policy. A quarantine policy is designed to isolate employees who have been exposed to a specific disease or illness, while providing the employee with a certain amount of privacy. A quarantine policy is generally designed to prevent people from leaving work premises, while at the same time preventing infected individuals from being able to return to work premises.

Quarantine policies typically apply to health care workers, but can also be implemented for other positions within an organization. Anytime that a member of the general public contacts an individual or group that is infected with a communicable disease, the quarantine policy should be immediately implemented and enforced so that contaminated individuals are prevented from returning to their previous position.

This tip is vital for any front desk or reception area that has visitor check-in. Instead of having visitors check-in with an iPad or written visitor logbook, be sure to use a visitor registration software system.

Even though your time at work is mentally beneficial, consider that you should do as much of your work online as possible. The opportunity for distance / remote work has never been better! Be sure that you have the right setup, though: You will need high speed internet, a fast-enough computer, decent webcam and a set of bulk headphones and/or a headset. Having clear communication and collaboration will help you get the most out of your virtual/online work during this unprecedented time.

Once a quarantine protocol has been implemented and followed, the next step is to implement an outbreak response plan. An outbreak response plan is designed to respond to outbreaks that have already occurred. By implementing a plan of action that is tailored to the specific outbreak, your organization is able to successfully fight back against the virus and its associated symptoms.

One of the key elements of your outbreak response plan should be to provide information to staff members who may be working in the affected area about what to do and what to avoid when they are in the area. This information should be provided both through printed material and through handouts that employees can keep in their work space. By providing them with clear instructions and detailed maps, you can help reduce the spread of the infection, improve worker safety and also increase the chances that individuals are not exposed to the virus.

Also, in order to effectively implement a pandemic outbreak response plan you should consider implementing a pandemic supply distribution policy, which includes distributing vaccines and other medical supplies to members of the local community as soon as possible. By providing these supplies to individuals, you increase the chances that they will return home with them and that their loved ones are not exposed to the virus.

Keeping your office healthy during a pandemic outbreak does not mean that you have to completely shut down your workplace. Providing your employees with pandemic preparedness supplies is essential and it will not only ensure a safe working environment, but also help the company to recover from the pandemic faster and more efficiently.