The Business Continuity Plan Handbook for Influenza and Infectious Disease Outbreaks details how companies They must prepare to maintain their production lines and protect their workers in the event of a new pandemic being declared.

“This document focuses on creating a business plan for infectious disease outbreaks or pandemics. It is intended for non-assistance organizations. Rescue organizations as well as other first response agencies (e.g. police, emergency services, first responders, ambulances) will require emergency measures, infection control measures and hand plans -much more rigorous work,” indicates the Guide.

The Guide warns that a pandemic business continuity plan is different from ordinary planning. According to him, Businesses should prepare for the possibility that professionals may not be able to report to work and consider measures that can be taken to slow the spread of the disease, including closing under orders from public health authorities.

THE Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) points out that the intensity of the hypothetical pandemic or virus is not known, but the abstention rate during a pandemic may be significantly higher than during a normal cold and flu season.

PHAC emphasizes that a pandemic occurs in 2 or 3 waves, with approximately 3 to 9 months separating each outbreak. Each wave is estimated to last approximately 6 to 8 weeks. A pandemic can last up to two years or more.

The document also clarifies that, to develop pandemic business planning, it is essential to identify essential processes, operations and functions, analyze which people or other businesses the company depends on, in addition to understanding which events can most affect operations.

To be able to identify these critical points within each company, the document presents a series of objective questions to facilitate the understanding of the company’s priorities.