Want to stop the flu? Here's how

It's well-known that even workers who think they have the flu will often head into work anyway, either because they need the money, they're hoping to impress the boss or they want to prevent their colleagues from having to pick up the slack.

Recent research shows that despite these good intentions, coming in sick is a bad idea. People who go to work when ill don't get as much done as they think they will and they run the risk of infecting their colleagues. For employers, the productivity hit from a sick worker is twice what it would have been had that person simply stayed home.

Another reason to stay home if you're sick
Is your employee sick -- or taking a "mental health" day? 

But until now it hasn't been clear exactly how many workers get needlessly sick when their colleagues show up hacking, wheezing and generally spreading their germs around. New research from the University of Pittsburgh starts to give us an idea.

Supriya Kumar, who lead a study of the H1N1 influenza pandemic in 2009, estimates the U.S. would have seen about 5 million fewer cases of flu during the outbreak if a federal law had mandated paid sick leave for employees. Furthermore, a disproportionate number of those cases of the flu -- some 1.2 million -- would have been prevented in Hispanics.

Kumar surveyed roughly 2,000 U.S. adults about their health and behavior during the 2009 pandemic. Since relatively few people who felt sick during that time were actually tested for H1N1 (commonly referred to as swine flu), the survey asked about flu or symptoms of flu-like illnesses. The social factors that had the biggest impact on the spread of flu-like illness were the presence of children in the household and, more notably, access to paid sick leave.

Even after taking into account the income and education levels of people who got sick and those who didn't, Kumar's team found that access to paid sick leave and the presence of children in the house led to a greater risk of flu-like illness in Hispanics.

The study, to be published in the American Journal of Public Health, certainly appears to make a case for paid sick leave. Do you think employers should be required to offer paid sick leave to everyone? If so, how much?

[alexandra_spinolo]

In Australia we have paid sick leave for all permanent employees. Most offices also organise for staff to have the flu vaccine in house for free.

Whilst people obviously still get sick, people do not regularly come into work visibly so.

Measures are in place to stop people taking advantage of the system i.e. Doctor's certificates required if a Monday or Friday is taken, or if more than two days are taken consecutively.

It seems to work.

[emiLeeee]

To answer your question, IMO, NO employers should not be REQUIRED to give paid sick days. But education is great. If they believe it will cost less over the long run, many will probably CHOOSE to.

Regarding vaccinations, I agree with William. I get my flu shot annually and haven't had the flu once since getting starting that (many years now). I know some larger companies actually bring in a nurse to administer the flu vaccine to employees who want it -- much cheaper than having the whole office get sick.

[WilliamSchaffner]

Annual vaccination is the best way to avoid influenza. Measures like those above are very important, but they cannot replace the protection of immunity. Visit www.Adultvaccination.org for more information. William Schaffner, MD, President, National Foundation for Infectious Diseases.

[UX08]

I never get flu and never want to use vaccination.

In my experience, the best way to avoid flu is:
- take care of yourself;
- take care of yourself;
- take care of yourself;
- rest enough;
- eat well;
- are you getting enough vitamines?
- be active (keep fit);
- no drugs (they demolish your immunities);
- enjoy life by your means (have some fun!!);
- laugh a lot!
- laugh more and be social!!

This way it's free and prevents any need of "dunno-what-they-really-gave-me" stuff.

Full pay for sickness, providing that there is a good explanation (doctor's certificate) and the employer does not take the ****... No sick pay at all for "menthal problems" or "stress".