Free webinar for business travel industry on swine flu pandemic

Aug 25 2009

'Business as usual” won’t be this flu season, with the effects of the H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic expected to include quarantines, travel restrictions and school and office closings. Businesses that rely on travel need to make preparations now to mitigate the impact.

Firestorm Solutions LLC and Passport Health USA are conducting a free webinar August 25 at 2 p.m. EDT to help businesses plan for the swine flu pandemic. Registration for “Healthcare Strategies for Today’s Mobile Society: Update on Antivirals and Vaccines” is available at www.predictplanperform.com.

James W. Satterfield, president and COO of Firestorm, a national leader in business continuity, communicable illness/pandemic planning, vulnerability analysis and crisis management, will moderate. Experts include Donald A. Donahue, the Executive Director of the National Security Health Policy Center in Washington, D.C., who has more than 30 years experience as a healthcare administrator in the military, government and private sectors, and Fran Lessans, CEO and founder of Passport Health, the largest private provider of travel medical/immunization services in the United States.

“While there are many uncertainties with H1N1 (Swine Flu), including its eventual severity and efficacy of the vaccination program, we do know that it will disrupt normal business operations,” said Donahue, who also directs Firestorm’s Healthcare Response Team. “Combined with regular seasonal flu, H1N1 (Swine Flu) is likely to cause high absenteeism and travel restrictions that will be major hindrances for organizations that are not properly prepared.”

Passport Health (www.passporthealthusa.com) has provided anthrax and smallpox vaccination training and has worked with the U.S. military, federal postal facilities, and federal employees and currently operates a 24/7 immunization call center for the Department of Defense. The company also provides expert counseling and immunizations to international travelers and advises them on precautionary measures during outbreaks and pandemics.

“These are important times,” said Lessans. “We have been at the highest pandemic level (level 6) since June 2009. Businesses large and small have to understand the storm that’s coming and take measures so that their operations can continue. All businesses should have a pandemic plan in place and have a plan to deliver antivirals to employees if necessary,” continued Lessans. “There will also be special guidelines to follow if businesses are sending their workers overseas. Passport Health has been on conference calls with the CDC and will be ready to assist with the administration of the H1N1 vaccine and antivirals as per CDC directives.”

http://www.firestorm.com