Five days ago, in a non-contested decision in San Diego, the Cal/OSHA Standards Board adopted two new regulations on communicable disease – the General Industry Safety Orders §§ 5199 and 5199.1 or the aerosol transmissible and zoonotic disease standards.

These are the first-ever standards in the country that protect workers in the health care industry and other workplaces from diseases that are spread by coughing and sneezing as well as by animals.

Whether it’s tuberculosis, novel influenza virus, bird flu, or H1N1 flu, do not panic. Pandemic flu may be widespread but you can fight against it. As the standards are in place, you only need to cooperate and do your part to prevent you and the people you work with from being infected by any pandemic flu.

The initial step is not to get the flu. Yes, you can run away from it. You can prevent it from getting inside you. You can NOT allow it from infecting you. Here are random ways on how you can.

• Plan and prepare. Know what pandemic flu is and how to face it. Encourage your workplace to conduct seminars about the flu.
• Always be alert. Know what’s happening around you.
• Be well-informed. You’re not a hermit, are you? Be a discerning news watcher.
• Stay healthy, whether there is or there is no pandemic flu. If you want to be prepared for anything, strengthen your body’s defenses. Eat a balanced diet. Drink lots of water and fluids. Exercise regularly. Get enough rest.
• Observe cleanliness. Always wash your hands especially before eating and drinking. Wash your hands too after using the bathroom, working with chemicals and sneezing or coughing. Use a sanitizer or hand gel if water and soap are not readily available. Take a bath once or twice daily. Keep your environment clean too. Sanitize the things that you use regularly.
• Practice good hygiene. Don’t sneeze in front of people or food. Use tissue to cover your nose and mouth. Throw used tissues in the trash bag. If you do not have immediate access to tissue, use the upper sleeve of your top.
• Avoid touching or kissing your co-workers especially if you have cough and colds. Keep some distance. Better yet, stay at home and get some rest.
• Don’t share or borrow personal things like toothbrush, handkerchief and spoon and fork.
• Get the necessary vaccine shots. These will not exempt you from having the flu but this will prepare your immune system to fight it in case it gets inside you.
• Wear a good mask or respirator to protect yourself especially if you are in a highly populated area. If you can, avoid these areas. If you need to cancel large events or projects, do so.
• Be observant of your own self. Go and see a doctor immediately if you’re having fevers, coughs and colds, and muscle aches.
• If you’re sick, stay at home. Don’t force yourself to go to work. Be concerned of yourself, your co-workers and your clients as well.
• If you have an assignment in a different country, do your research first. Consult the travel advisor. If you do travel, monitor your health for the first weeks after you’ve returned. If you feel that something is wrong, inform your doctor and your workplace’s health officer about the details of your travel.
• Wherever you are, check the food that you eat. If you prepare your own food, buy raw products from trusted and approved sellers. You may also opt to avoid poultry and other animal products. If not, remember to thoroughly cook all your food.
• When you’re being down and feel that the flu is eating you away, do not lose hope. Pray and have faith. They can do wonders. They can even wipe out the worldwide pandemic flu.

Pandemic flu must neither be taken for granted nor be a cause for panic. Having the proper information, following the authority’s standards and doing your own preventive measures will all help you and your workplace from being infected. Always be conscious and discerning of your actions. Remember to stay safe at all times!