The swine flu virus can spread from person to person, but also through touching surfaces or objects, e.g. door handles,
that have become contaminated with the flu virus and then spread when touching the mouth, eyes or nose without first washing the hands

Transmission via surfaces or objects in a modern, built-up environment can be limited and is controllable through sensible, conventional cleaning, especially of hard surfaces in hygiene areas.

Newspapers, post, books and banknotes are not a significant route of transmission and can be excluded from consideration.

In all cases, transmission can be most effectively controlled through good personal hygiene and ensuring that workers showing flu-like symptoms go home or don’t come to work until they are no longer infectious.

Also, pharmacists should tell their staff that if they show symptoms while in the workplace, then they should go home as soon as possible. If the person can’t go home immediately, encourage them to adopt good hygiene practice and avoid close contact with other people.

Current assumptions suggest absence rates for illness may reach 12 per cent of the workforce at the peak of the pandemic. The Government, however, does not intend to advise closure of businesses. Any decisions to close a pharmacy due to the effects of swine flu are for the pharmacist to take.

When it comes to sick pay since the start of the swine flu pandemic, no changes have been made to the existing rules and  rrangements for medical certificates, self-certification and the payment of statutory sick pay (SSP).

Some businesses may be entitled to help with the costs of SSP through the Percentage Threshold Scheme (PTS). This scheme helps employers get back some of the SSP they pay out if they experience high levels of absence due to sickness in any given month. Swine flu absence is the type of situation that PTS was designed to help with.

As for insurance, if you are unsure whether or not your business insurance policy covers you for the adverse effects of swine flu, you should discuss your cover with your insurer or insurance broker directly.

Some policies can be extended (for an additional premium) to cover loss of revenue, for example, if the building has to be closed because of the presence of a ‘notifiable disease’. The list does not currently include swine flu and the Department of Health has no plans to include it. Therefore unless your policy explicitly states otherwise, you are unlikely to be covered if you have to close your business because of swine flu.

The Business Advisory Network for Flu (BANF) is an initiative that aims to help businesses prepare for the effects of swine flu by ensuring delivery of swine flu information and advice and guidance to businesses and business groups. You can email banf@cabinetoffice. x.gsi.gov.uk to receive email alerts about BANF meetings and resources.