NAGC News Archive 2009
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Federal Guidelines Encourage Employers to Plan Now for Upcoming Influenza Season - Recommendations Range from Encouraging Hand Washing to Allowing Some Employees to Stay Home (08/19/09)
Department of Commerce (DOC) Secretary Gary Locke, Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Secretary Janet Napolitano today announced new guidance for businesses to plan for and respond to the upcoming flu season.
The guidance, released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), is designed to help employers prepare now for the impact of seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza could have this fall and winter on their employers and operations.
Employers’ plans should address such points as encouraging employees with flu-like symptoms or illness to stay home, operating with reduced staffing, and possibly having employees who are at higher risk of serious medical complications from infection work from home, according to the CDC guidance.
It is not known whether the 2009 H1N1 influenza virus will cause more illness or more severe illness in the coming months, but the CDC recommends that everyone be prepared for influenza. Because seasonal and 2009 H1N1 influenza pose serious health threats, employers should work with employees to develop and implement plans that can reduce the spread of flu, and to encourage seasonal flu vaccination as well as H1N1 vaccination when that vaccine becomes available.
- Read the full DHS news release here.
- Download the CDC Guidance for Businesses, Employers, and Workplaces to Plan and Respond to 2009 H1N1 Influenza
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Download resources in the CDC's Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers. The purpose of "Preparing for the Flu: A Communication Toolkit for Businesses and Employers" is to provide information and communication resources to help businesses and employers implement recommendations from CDC’s Guidance for Businesses and Employers to Plan and Respond to the 2009-2010 Influenza Season.
- For more information on seasonal flu and H1N1 influenza, visit www.flu.gov.
Principles of Crisis Emergency Risk Communication
Download this flyer from the CDC about risk communication during a crisis:
The Six Principles of Crisis Emergency Risk Communication.
Listen to the Federal News Radio Interview
with John Verrico, NAGC Communications Director
Topic: Tips for Effective Government Communication & the NAGC Communications School
listen online | download from the NAGC site (MP3)
On Apr. 21, 2009, NAGC Communications Director John Verrico was interviewed by Chris Dorobek and Amy Morris on the Daily Debrief, 1500 AM Federal News Radio. The topic was tips for effective government communication and the NAGC Communications School. John is the Science & Technology Spokesman for the Department of Homeland Security's Science & Technology Directorate, Washington, DC.
Health Improvement Institute Call for Entries: Aesculapius Awards
Aesculapius Awards (of Excellence in Health Communication) are given to producers of health-related World Wide Web (WWW) sites and television and radio public service announcements (PSAs) that Health Improvement Institute judges consider excellent in communicating health information to the public. Each year, judges choose one Web site and one PSA to receive the Aesculapius Award. Deadline for entries: Sept. 5, 2008.
Smithsonian seeks volunteer exhibit hosts for new Ocean Hall exhibit, the largest permanent exhibit ever created in the Natural History Museum. Details here.
Congratulations to George Selby...
NAGC President-Elect George Selby is winner of the Toastmasters, Division E speech contest and will compete for the title of District 27 champion on May 24. Details here.