Since we have not been sufficiently vaccinated to prevent the H1N1 flu, it’s important to inform employees about what they can do to prevent the spread of cold and flu viruses, particularly H1N1 (Swine flu). Keeping your workforce healthy and at work is a goal of many employers—our sample letter to employees will tell employees what they can do to protect themselves and their family from getting the H1N1 flu. Having a healthy workplace not only helps your business continue to run as it should, but it also keeps employees from taking illnesses home to their families.
You can download this sample letter to employees that will help you keep your workforce informed about preventing the spread of the H1N1 virus. Feel free to make changes to suit the culture of your office.
Content of the Sample Letter to Employees for H1N1 Virus
These are important tips for preventing the spread of the H1N1 (Swine flu) virus to your family, home, school and workplace. The information below comes from the Centers for Disease Control and other reliable health information sources. As always, your personal doctor is the recommended source for all of your health questions.
How Germs Spread
The flu, is caused by viruses that infect the nose, throat, and lungs. The flu usually spreads from person to person when an infected person coughs or sneezes germs into the air. Germs enter the blood stream when the contaminated air is breathed in. Germs can get on your hands by touching surfaces that are contaminated with the flu virus, such as wet areas in a restroom or kitchen. The germs then get into your body when you touch your face, eyes, nose or mouth. If you have the flu, you can spread germs to others by touching surfaces that others touch such as door knobs, not covering your nose when you sneeze or mouth when you cough.
How to Help Stop the Spread of Germs
Clean your hands: Wash your hands often — with soap and warm water — rub your hands together vigorously, scrubbing all surfaces including backs of hands, between fingers, under fingernails and wrists. Wash for 30 seconds. The soap lather combined with the scrubbing helps dislodge and remove germs. The germs stick to the soap and get washed down the drain. Rinse your hands well while keeping them lower than your elbows so the dirty water runs down the drain and not your arms. Always wash your hands after coughing or sneezing into your hands, blowing your nose, after touching someone who is sick, or when using public restrooms.
Dry your hands well:
Use paper towels to dry your hands and to turn off the faucet. If you are in a public restroom, use the paper towel to open the restroom door.
If soap and water aren’t available, use alcohol-based disposable hand wipes or gel sanitizers.
You can find them in most supermarkets and drugstores. Be sure to buy sanitizers that contain at least 60% alcohol. When using a gel, rub the gel over all hand surfaces until your hands are dry. The gel doesn’t need water to work; the alcohol in the gel kills germs that cause colds and the flu. If your hands look dirty, use soap & water.
Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze or cough:
Cough or sneeze into a tissue and then throw it away. If you do not have a tissue, cough or sneeze into your elbow or sleeve. Clean your hands every time you cough or sneeze. Make sure all trashcans for tissues have liners; throw the liners out with the trash.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, or mouth:
Germs are often spread when a person touches a contaminated surface and then touches their eyes, nose, or mouth. Germs can live for 2 hours or more on dry surfaces like doorknobs, desks, and tables and even longer on areas that are wet like sinks and faucets.
Stay home when you’re sick and check with your doctor when needed.
Practice other good health habits:
Get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food so you can fend off viruses. Avoid people that have the flu or flu symptoms. Teach your kids how to wash their hands and how to sneeze or cough into their elbow or sleeve.
