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Pandemic Response
Microbix Pandemic Response Status
Microbix Pandemic Response Toolkit
Personal Protection/Home Management
Managing Our Business
Useful Links
Microbix is taking a proactive approach to prevent the spread of influenza in the workplace and to protect its employees and their families against flu at home and in public places. This document is based on common sense, which is often overlooked due to habitual behavior. By developing this policy Microbix is providing its employees with information they can use to reduce their exposure to the flu. In addition the plan advises them to be prepared for possible extended periods of interruption of access to goods and services generally taken for granted, such as grocery items, supply of electricity, water etc, due to illness, layoffs or fear. No one can predict the response of the general public during an outbreak so we are preparing for a worst-case scenario.
The principal way that flu is spread is from person to person, through coughs, sneezes and touching contaminated surfaces. Someone coughing or sneezing and then touching someone, or something, such as a doorknob or computer keyboard, spreads the flu virus. Droplets from an infected person can also travel through the air and reach the mouth or nose of a person nearby.
The flu virus can remain infectious for:
- 48 hours on a non-porous surface
- 8 hours on a porous surface such as clothing or furniture
- 5 minutes on your hands
- Good hand washing and hygiene practices are the most important habits for minimizing exposure to germs and preventing infections.
Objectives
Protect Yourself and Your Family
Examples of Day-to-Day High Risk Behavior and Steps You Can Take to Mitigate Your Risk of Infection
Objectives
- To ensure that all employees maintain the appropriate health and safety practices to prevent infections at work and in their families.
- To identify the essential protective personal equipment and supplies, with instructions how and when to use them. The Microbix Pandemic Response ToolKittm is available to all Microbix employees and their families, and its contents will be posted on this site in a few days.
Protect yourself and your family
The following health and safety measures are recommended to Microbix employees:
A. All employees should be immunized with the up-to-date Influenza vaccine
B. Maintain good health habits at all times
C. Stay home when you are sick.
D. Follow safe practices at home or in public when you are sick
E. Have a contingency plan for essential supplies at home.
F. Maintain good hand hygiene
G. Clean/disinfect surfaces in your environment
H. Educate family members, especially children, in personal hygiene
I. Use protective personal equipment when providing direct care to a sick person, or in public once the pandemic has been declared.
The following table expands upon the health and safety measures outlined above. The practices should be followed at work, at home and in public places.
| Health and Safety Measures |
Proper Conduct |
Remarks |
| A. Influenza immunization |
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend Influenza immunization for all children, 6-23 months old, if they are in daycare settings.
Employees who have, or are in contact with a person who has, high-risk medical conditions for influenza-related complications also should consider vaccination |
See your doctor for immunization for you and your family. This will not protect you from avian influenza but will provide protection from the flu viruses already circulating in the community. |
| B. Maintain good health habits |
Avoid close contact with people who are sick. Don’t sit near someone who is sneezing or coughing unless you are protected.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth unless you have just washed your hands. Use hand sanitizers if soap and water is not available.
Exercise regularly Drink lots of water (6-8 glasses) daily
Avoid unnecessary travel |
Good health habits make your immune system stronger against common sickness |
| C. Stay home when you are sick |
If you are sick, stay at home. Stay at home from work until you have no fever for 24 hours or your doctor says you are no longer contagious. Follow behavior practices as stated below (Point D). Do not allow ill children to attend school or daycare.
Inform your doctor of your symptoms. The doctor may not want to see you in his office to prevent spread of infection. Use the mask provided in your ToolKittm in contact with others or going to the doctor. It should be used in crowded public areas you cannot avoid. Make sure that the mask covers your mouth and nose snugly and completely. |
Microbix employees have cross-training to ensure a minimal impact on business activities due to absences because of illness
Use the mask provided in your Microbix Pandemic Response ToolKit™
The doctor may prescribe an antiviral drug |
| D. Safe practices at home and in public when you are sick |
Stay in a separate room or if this is not possible, keep the sick person at least 1 meter away from others, especially children.
Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough and sneeze. Dispose of these tissues safely, as they are contaminated.
Make sure tissues are available in common areas (if you don’t have tissues, cough or sneeze into your upper sleeve, NOT your hands). Always clean hands using hand sanitizer after coughing and sneezing. Avoid touching common surfaces and objects unless your hands have been sanitized.Change toothbrush often or at least after cold or flu to prevent possible re-infection. |
Use the mask, gloves and hand sanitizer provided in your Microbix Pandemic Response ToolKit™ |
| E. Have a contingency plan for essential supplies at home. |
Plan to have bottled water and non perishable food at home to supply you and your family for two to three months |
The supply chain may be interrupted and stores may have reduced stock of items for sale |
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F. Maintain good hand hygiene
Hand washing training (Hand washing is a learned habit)
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How to wash your hands properly with water and soap
Remove jewelry
Wet hands with warm water
Apply clean soap
Vigorously scrub with soap all over your hands and under nails for at least 20 seconds
Put soap back on rack to allow to dry
Rinse hands for at least 10 seconds under warm water
Dry hands completely with paper towel
Turn off tap with paper towel to avoid hands getting dirty again
Throw towel in waste basket
How to wash your hands using alcohol- based hand sanitizer
Wet hands with sanitizer
Rub hands until alcohol is dried.
Insist that all family members, especially children, follow strict hand washing practices. Have everyone practice hand washing. This will help you protect yourself and prevent the spread of virus at work, at play and at home
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Water alone is not sufficient for proper hand washing.
Use hand sanitizer provided in your ToolKit™ |
| G. Clean/disinfect surfaces |
Clean frequently touched surfaces and objects such as toys, shared items, equipment, desks, phones, door knobs.
Disinfect surfaces using chlorine bleach solution (see Remarks for formula) or 70 % alcohol. Apply on surfaces. Leave wet for 10 minutes. Rinse, if chlorine was used or let air dry, if alcohol was used.
Wash linens between use by others, especially by different children. |
Wear gloves and use disposable wipes provided in you Microbix Pandemic Response ToolKit™
Chlorine bleach solution formula: 1/4 cup household bleach to 1 gallon cool water
A temperature of at least 71°C (160°F) for a minimum 25 minutes is recommended for hot-water washing of linens.
Addition of chlorine bleach provides an extra margin of safety. |
| H. Educate family in personal hygiene, especially children. |
Teach your family frequent and proper hand washing (see hand washing practices stated above).
Encourage small children to wear masks during pandemic phase. In addition to protection against airborne contaminants, the mask prevents them from touching their mouths and noses with their hands.
Ensure sufficient supply of tissue, soap, hand sanitizer and personal protective equipment, such as masks and gloves, for two to three months for all family members.
Consider supply of antiviral flu medicinesUse common sense. For example, when handling a grocery cart, wipe the handle before and after use.
Assemble emergency package for your family in case you need to leave your house.
Plan for stay-at-home entertainment activities |
Do not include thirst-provoking foods; rather include high energy food with a long shelf life.
Water, candles, flashlights and batteries, blankets, portable radio to stay informed. Ensure supplies of CDs, books, games |
| I. Use protective personal equipment when providing direct care to a sick person or in public |
Cover your mouth and nose with a mask when providing direct care to a sick person. Wear goggles and gloves as an extra margin of safety.
Carry and use personal hand sanitizer when using commonly touched objects, such as phone buttons, banking machines, door knobs, public washrooms, etc.
Always wash you hands with hand sanitizer.
Carry your own commonly used items such as a pen (to sign receipts or credit card slips).
During pandemic phases, avoid public places where you can’t wear masks, such as restaurants |
Use mask, gloves, hand sanitizer and, when required, goggles provided in Microbix Pandemic Response ToolKit™ |
Examples of day- to-day high risk behavior and steps you can take to mitigate your risk of infection.
The final section gives examples of high risk behaviors in day- to- day life. These activities are often overlooked as risk behavior. Review these to improve your understanding of how, when and where to protect yourself.
A . Going to the Library
Most libraries have computers available for the public to access the Internet. Library patrons cough and sneeze over the keyboards all day long. Also, libraries house and circulate books, magazines, videos, tapes, DVD's, etc. which are handled constantly every day whether it be in the library or at home or school or even in the hospital. You must assume the contact surfaces are contaminated.
- In the time of pandemic outbreaks, eliminate or minimize use of these types of facilities as much as possible. If you must use them, use gloves and/or sanitizing wipes on all contact surfaces.
B. Use of Shared Computers, Telephones etc.
Any computers, telephones and cash registers which are shared by staff in any workplace are a potential source of germs.
- Decontaminate them with alcohol or chlorine bleach before each use. You may want to consider using gloves as well.
C. Handling Money
Money changes hands every day in stores and banks. We all know that cashiers and bank tellers are not washing their hands every time they handle money and neither are the individuals using their services.
- When handling money, wash hands before touching your face, etc, and especially before eating. Glove use during pandemic outbreaks is highly recommended when handling money.
D. Public Equipment Such as Debit/Credit Card Keypads, Phones, Computers, Video Games etc.
These types of equipment are coughed and sneezed over and handled daily by all sorts of people. They are rarely if ever disinfected.
- Minimize or eliminate use. If you must use them, disinfect where possible and use gloves.
In restaurants, especially fast food, people often use debit cards and touch the key pad to pay. Minimally, cash is handled before you eat, and you often eat with your hands.
- Wash hands before eating in these environments at all times or stay home.
E. Full Serve Gas Stations
On cold days we sometimes go to the full serve gas station and pay by credit card. The attendants work outside and sometimes are ill, coughing and wiping their noses with their gloves. They hand you the pen and clip board to sign your credit card slip. Then off we go to dinner.
- In these situations, always have your own pen. If you handle the clipboard, use gloves. Wash hands before touching food or other people.
F. Grocery Cart Use
When you go grocery shopping, you put your child in the seat built into the cart. Children are often ill, drooling on the handle or wiping their hands on their nose and then holding the handle. That cart gets recycled to the next shopper eventually.
- Before you put your child in the cart, sanitize the surfaces with appropriate wipes or spray.
If you have any additional examples you would like to contribute for our readers please send them to Microbix@microbix.com, type “Microbix Pandemic Response Plan” in the subject line and we will consider posting them to this site.
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