October 27, 2020

Cold and flu season during a pandemic makes prevention essential

For the next few months, Texas employers will be dealing with cold and flu season in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic. While this unprecedented situation has significant ramifications for businesses, there are steps you can take to minimize the risk to your workers and your bottom line.

At Texas Mutual Insurance Company, we know the devastating impact viruses can have on a workplace. More than 10,000 Texans died from flu-related illnesses last year. The seasonal flu costs Americans between $15 billion and $64 billion annually, while non-flu respiratory viruses tack on an additional $40 billion. This includes $10.4 billion (PDF) in direct hospitalization and medical costs, along with increased absenteeism and lost productivity. Combine these costs with losses incurred due to COVID-19 and the critical need for preventative measures becomes clear.

man with a coldGenerally, workplace absences spike between December and March, but cold and flu season varies from year to year. While it’s difficult to predict the severity of this year’s outbreak, there is some reason for optimism. The southern hemisphere appears to have experienced a milder than usual flu season, which could bode well for Texas. In addition, measures such as masks, handwashing and social distancing taken to combat COVID-19, may have the added benefit of preventing cold and flu transmission.

Flu shots are one of the simplest and most effective ways to prevent flu outbreaks, and they’re especially important this year. Although the vaccinations don’t protect workers against COVID-19, they reduce the chance of dual infection. Employers can encourage their people to get vaccinated through incentives or by hosting a flu shot clinic at your facility. Your involvement matters. In 2019, 45 percent of healthcare employers required flu shots, achieving a 98 percent compliance rate among their workers. This is a dramatic increase over the general population where less than one-third of working age adults receive a vaccination.

The Center For Disease Control (CDC) recommends employers take other preventative measures, as well. These include:

  • Providing employees with resources identifying flu shot locations
  • Advising sick employees to stay home until they’re fever-free for 24 hours
  • Updating sick leave policies to ensure ill employees can stay home without reprisals
  • Allowing teleworking when possible
  • Providing tissues, no-touch trash cans and hand sanitizer
  • Educating your staff about the need for proper handwashing, hygiene and social distancing

As the state’s number one workers’ comp provider, Texas Mutual is committed to helping businesses create safer, healthier workplaces. To learn more about keeping your employees healthy on the job, check out these tips. For COVID-19 information and resources, see our Coronavirus Resources page.

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