| News for the restaurant/foodservice industry | September 29, 2009 |
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| An in-depth look at H1N1 flu |
Since the H1N1 flu was first identified in the spring of 2009, restaurants and small businesses around the world have sought to minimize the risks of the flu for their customers and their employees. The World Health Organization has declared a pandemic, and the U.S. government has issued guidelines to help businesses and consumers alike.
Although H1N1 flu cannot be transmitted through food, the restaurant industry is tackling the pandemic full on. Many restaurants are offering hand sanitizer, providing lenient leave schedules for employees and posting best practices.
This H1N1 Flu Special Report offers information on what H1N1 is and what restaurants, consumers and the government are doing to protect against the pandemic. Part 1, below, offers an H1N1 overview, examples of how restaurants are responding and best practices. Part 2, which will publish Thursday, Oct. 1, will focus on the government's role, how consumers are responding and risk-management tactics. |
| H1N1 Overview |  |  |
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- Officials outline distribution plan, timeline for H1N1 flu vaccines
States are expected to begin ordering H1N1 flu vaccines from the CDC beginning Wednesday, when the agency launches its online ordering site, said Paul Jarris of the Association of State and Territorial Health Officials. HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius also announced that 6 million to 7 million doses of the nasal-spray vaccine are set to be distributed during the first half of October, with 40 million doses of the injectable vaccine expected to be available soon after. USA TODAY
(9/25)
    
- Scientists equip iPhone with disease-tracking application
Researchers at Children's Hospital Boston and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Media Lab added an application to Apple's iPhone that allows users to immediately monitor and report H1N1 flu and other outbreaks of infectious diseases. The "Outbreaks Near Me" program is linked to a Web resource called HealthMap that gathers and shares information on infectious diseases. Yahoo!/Agence France-Presse
(9/2)
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| | Prepare for H1N1 with a Toolkit from NRA and Ecolab
The National Restaurant Association and Ecolab have developed a toolkit to help restaurants fight H1N1 flu and help prevent spread of influenza among employees and guests. The toolkit provides information and guidelines to help prepare for and prevent a flu outbreak. BE PROACTIVE. Download the toolkit at www.restaurant.org/fluinfo/toolkit.cfm. | |
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| Restaurant Response | | |
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- Spanish restaurant fights potential H1N1 flu outbreak
Cipri Quintas, owner of Silk&Soya restaurant in Alcobendas, Spain, is attempting to head off H1N1 flu with an investment of $1,500 in extreme precautionary measures. The restrooms are fully automated and have doors that are always open, allowing customers to use the bathrooms without touching much. The elevator comes equipped with hand sanitizer, and the dining tables are spread farther apart than usual to avoid the spread of germs. Google/The Associated Press
(9/13)
| Business Best Practices | | |
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- Study: Most businesses unprepared for H1N1 flu outbreak
A study from the Harvard School of Public Health found that most businesses will be unable to maintain regular operations if an outbreak of H1N1 influenza or other issues causes half of their staff to be out for two weeks. "Companies have to prepare now because the flu spreads so quickly there won't be enough time to make these business-critical decisions when it hits," said Karen Choi, an official with Associated Industries of Massachusetts. Google/The Associated Press
(9/9)
- Homeland Security: Create contingency plans
An H1N1 flu outbreak could be detrimental to small businesses, so the Department of Homeland Security is advising those companies to devise contingency plans in the event an outbreak affects their employees. Federal officials suggested that companies prepare for worst-case scenarios in order to keep their businesses up and running should an outbreak occur. The Washington Post
(9/15)
| NRA Resources | | |
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NRA offers H1N1 flu info center
The National Restaurant Association and Ecolab have developed a toolkit to help the restaurant industry fight H1N1 flu and prevent the spread of influenza viruses in restaurants. The toolkit includes information to help prepare for and prevent an influenza outbreak at your location. Listen to our webinar, H1N1: What You Need to Know About the Influenza Pandemic, and visit H1N1 Flu: Resources for Restaurateurs for more information.
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| | Recent National Restaurant Association SmartBrief Issues:
- Monday, September 28, 2009
- Friday, September 25, 2009
- Thursday, September 24, 2009
- Wednesday, September 23, 2009
- Tuesday, September 22, 2009
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Product announcements appearing in SmartBrief are paid advertisements and do not reflect actual National Restaurant Association endorsements. The news reported in SmartBrief does not necessarily reflect the official position of National Restaurant Association.
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