This cold and flu season has been challenging with the Coronavirus and issues with the flu wreaking havoc in many areas. An organization should always be prepared regardless of whether they are located in an area that has been affected. What is meant by pandemic? Pandemic is the worldwide spread of a new disease. It could be a new strain of the flu or a virus like the Coronavirus. So what does it mean to be prepared?
The World Health Organization (WHO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that is concerned with world public health.
WHO has designed a checklist for pandemic influenza risk and impact management which was updated in 2018. The WHO checklist, along with the Pandemic Influenza Risk Management Guidance, May 2017, should be reviewed by organizational management when creating a new plan or assessing an existing plan. A good pandemic plan should be in line with the WHO.
A well designed organization's pandemic plan should include:
- Roles and responsibilities of management, employees, key suppliers, and customers
- Key pandemic planning assumptions
- Reliance on critical vendors and/or service processors
- Remote access and telecommuting needs
