CGA Alert is a publication of the California Grocers Association
April 27, 2009

Swine Flu Update



CGA CONTACT INFORMATION

The California Grocers Association is monitoring the current swine flu situation and will continue to provide periodic updates. A retail guidance manual for influenza is currently being updated and will be available in the next two days. In the meantime, for further information, please visit www.cagrocers.com. If you have questions, email Jill Rulon, CGA, or call (916) 448-3545.



CURRENT SITUATION
  • On the advice of the World Health Organization (WHO) emergency committee, the Secretary General of the WHO moved the world to Pandemic Alert Phase 4. Phase 4 is characterized by verified human-to-human transmission of the virus able to cause "community-level outbreaks." This is a significant increase in the risk of a pandemic but does not indicate that a pandemic is imminent.
  • The U.S. Department of Homeland Security has issued a warning to Americans to avoid unnecessary travel to Mexico
  • The European Union's health commissioner has urged Europeans to avoid unnecessary travel to affected areas in Mexico and the U.S.
  • Cases have been found in 9 countries around the world and 44 cases in the US including CA, TX, OH, KS and NY. Additional cases are expected as surveillance is increased.
  • There are five confirmed cases in San Diego, 5 in Imperial County, and 1 in Sacramento County however further suspected cases are being tested.
  • The CDC issued guidance today recommending the dismissal of students for 7 days in schools with a confirmed or suspected case linked to a confirmed case. They asked that school administrations and local health departments work together to determine the proper reopening of the affected school. Furthermore, CDC recommended that schools and childcare facilities in unaffected areas begin to prepare for the possibility of school dismissal or childcare facility closures. This may have an impact on employee absenteeism.


SWINE FLU AND PORK PRODUCTS

The CDC has stated that Swine influenza viruses are not transmitted by food. You can not get swine influenza from eating pork or pork products. Eating properly handled and cooked pork and pork products is safe. Cooking pork to an internal temperature of 160 degrees kills the swine flu virus as it does other bacteria and viruses.


CALIFORNIA FOOD CODE REQUIREMENTS

California Retail Food Code (Cal Code) requires that food employees who work in food facilities not work with food or utensils if they are sick with gastrointestinal illnesses, including diarrhea and/or abdominal cramps, fever, and vomiting. Food employees experiencing persistent sneezing, coughing, or runny nose that is associated with discharges from the eyes, nose, or mouth, and that cannot be controlled by medication, shall not work with exposed food; clean equipment, utensils, or lines; or unwrapped single-use utensils. It is important to note this requirement is in effect at all times, not just in pandemic flu situations.

The Person in Charge (PIC) must report to the local Department of Environmental Health if an employee is diagnosed with Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Shigella, Enterohemorrhagic or shiga toxin producing E. coli, Norovirus or Entamoeba histolytica. In addition, the PIC must report to the local Department of Environmental Health if two or more people are sick with acute gastrointestinal illness. Acute gastrointestinal illness is diarrhea, either alone or with vomiting, fever, or abdominal cramps. It can also include vomiting with diarrhea or two other gastrointestinal symptoms such as fever or abdominal cramps.

Exclude a food employee from the food facility if diagnosed with Salmonella, Hepatitis A, Shigella, Enterohemorrhagic or shiga toxin producing E. coli, Norovirus or Entamoeba histolytica. Only local departments can clear an excluded employee to go back to work. Restrict a food employee from working with exposed food, clean equipment, clean linens, clean utensils, and unwrapped single-service articles if the food employee is suffering from symptoms of acute gastrointestinal illness or if he/she is experiencing persistent coughing, sneezing, or nasal discharges. Restrictions can be removed by the PIC.

Full California Retail Food Code
Article 3 Employee Health language


RECOMMENDATIONS TO BUSINESSES FROM EMS SOLUTIONS

What Should Companies Be Doing Now?
Here are eight things you should be doing now to prepare for a possible global pandemic.

    1. Pull out your pandemic plan now.
      • Is it complete? Is it current? Refamiliarize yourself with its inner workings and note immediate areas for improvement.
      • If you don't have a plan, you need to develop one quickly.
    2. Get in front of your executives.
      • Reach out to your executives in the next few days. They need to hear from you regarding what is going on, how this could impact the company, what plans are in place, and what the company response will be if things go to a WHO four.
    3. Stay informed.
      • Bookmark the websites noted below.
      • Subscribe to ProMed Mail for daily credible updates.
      • Check in with your local county departments of health to find out what they are doing and how they will be informing the community of status changes.
    4. Communicate.
      • In your pandemic plan, review the communication templates that have been developed. Modify them now and be prepared to send out communications to employees now.
      • Your first communication could be as simple as "we are following this closely, we have reviewed our pandemic plan and business continuity plans and are prepared to act if necessary."
    5. Educate your employees.
    6. Promote home preparedness.
      • Encourage home readiness which includes the procurement of basic supplies and training.
      • The FEMA website has excellent brochures for training your employees: www.ready.gov.
    7. Assess your plan for items you were planning to procure but haven't yet purchased.
      • Review the key aspects of your plan that may not have been funded. This may include the purchase of PPE, cleaning supplies, hand sanitizers, or medications.
      • Identify what you would need to procure and who you would get it from if you had to purchase things quickly.
      • Determine if these items would be available.
    8. Stay calm, be focused, and get ready.
      • This current threat could die down quickly or it could escalate into a global pandemic. At this point, it is anyone's best guess.
      • We are watching this unfold in real time before our very eyes. The situation could change rapidly. Don't waste this window of time. Any actions you do now will be valuable later and could make a real difference.

2009 EMS Solutions 260 Whitney Street SF CA 94131 415-643-4300 www.ems-solutionsinc.com
LINKS



Additional information provided by MedPrep Consulting Group LLC.