20pc of workers laid low by the flu

Extended Metro Edition

LOCAL; Pg. 2

EVELYN YAMINE

ALMOST one in five workers are on sick leave in some Sydney workplaces as a flu epidemic takes a heavy toll on productivity.

Executive director of the Sydney Chamber of Commerce Patricia Forsythe said it had been receiving feedback from employers who believe the flu season has been worse this year.

''Anecdotal evidence suggests that Sydney businesses particularly have been hit hard by influenza and colds this winter, with staff absences hovering between 10 to 20 per cent throughout July,'' Ms Forsythe said.

The estimated national cost of work absenteeism is about $2 billion a year in the private sector but the exact statistics for staff being absent because of the flu are not available.

Although the flu season is coming to an end, health authorities are warning people to remain vigilant about health and hygiene to prevent flu spreading.

Chair of the public health committee of the Federal Australian Medical Association, Dr John Gullotta, said people should avoid close contact with someone infected with the flu.

''The high risk of getting the flu is anywhere that there's a lot of people in a concentrated area, like a shopping centre or a childcare centre,'' Dr Gullotta, also a GP, said.

''It really is important for people to wash their hands and, if they can, to stay home so they don't spread it around.
''The flu spreads very quickly, it's very contagious. All it takes is a sneeze or a cough and inhaling a small particle in the air to catch it.''

Assistant director of Paddington Children's Centre Emily Finnis said they were extra vigilant during winter to safeguard the children in their long day care centre from catching and spreading the flu.

She said they enforced strict hygiene rules.