The winter season usually casts a spike in flu cases. As per an estimate by the World Health Organisation (WHO), it infects as much as 20 percent of the world’s population and jeopardises business processes worldwide. Yet the underlying economic impact of this highly contagious respiratory disease is often underestimated, even though they far outweigh the damage that most businesses could ever imagine.
At a time when healthcare systems across the globe bear the brunt of extreme pressure and demands due to the ongoing coronavirus pandemic, it’s high time to shed light on associated fiscal costs and risks of seasonal flu, simply because nations, economies, and businesses cannot afford to deal with the blow of another pandemic—such as another influenza pandemic that could be prevented with effective and efficient flu vaccination campaigns.
Every year, an estimated 1 billion flu cases are recorded by the WHO. Of this number, 3 to 5 million cases become severe, leaving a trail of 290,000 to 650,000 influenza-related respiratory deaths. In the UAE, a Dubai Health Authority study showed that 49.5 percent of influenza cases from 2017 to 2019 were children less than 10 years of age. While 85 percent of the total seasonal flu cases in the emirate were handled at an outpatient level, 15 percent were serious enough to be admitted and treated at an inpatient level.
Employers must pay heed because there’s more to this than meets the eye. From a business perspective, productivity loss and potential economic effects set off caution alarm bells for businesses worldwide. As per a global study of the International Longevity Centre UK, seasonal flu spawns 159 million lost working days globally, which translates to an astounding $39 billion productivity loss in better off countries in 2018.
The health and productivity of employees are intertwined, as a healthy and well-functioning workforce is the cornerstone of a company’s success and society’s economic growth in general.
However, tens of thousands of offices and worksites worldwide are rendered struggling with a limited workforce when seasonal flu creeps in, resulting from 10 to 12 percent of work absences due to the flu virus, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Such hidden burdens of flu usually stall projects as each infected employee may miss up to six days of work and take up to two weeks to reach a full recovery.
Business and vaccine
Besides its knock-on effect on businesses, the disease can spiral to more severe clinical conditions including cardiovascular events, increased susceptibility to secondary bacterial infections, functional decline, and poor pregnancy outcomes.
A study published in the journal National Library of Medicine reveals that the domino effect of flu also exacerbates underlying chronic medical conditions, leading to an increased risk for hospitalisation and death. These complexities of seasonal flu cannot simply vanish into thin air without a concerted effort between government and private entities.
On the brighter side of the current global health crisis, the world has become more aware of the benefits of vaccine administration to prevent and fight off disease outbreaks and save lives. International public health bodies – including the WHO and CDC – advise at-risk groups to regularly get vaccinated against influenza because it remains as one of the most cost-effective interventions that societies can do to boost people’s defence against flu.
There are several measures that businesses should cascade to all levels, in order to keep a healthy and safer workplace. These approaches include offering free on-site flu vaccinations at the company premises or through third-party, encouraging employees to promote flu vaccination in the community, advising all employees to stay home if they are sick, and making annual flu vaccinations part of the workplace wellness programme.
By placing a premium on employees’ protection against flu, companies will reap a great return on investment. Not only will business leaders protect the health and safety of their workers, but they will also safeguard the company’s 3Ps namely people, performance, and profitability.
Emphasising the need to reduce the severe impact of influenza in the global population, Sanofi, the world’s largest manufacturer of influenza vaccines, is currently producing around 200 million doses of influenza vaccines each year. This accounts for 40 percent of total flu vaccines disseminated worldwide. In addition, the company is stepping up its effort in this domain through rigorous research to develop more effective vaccines and raise awareness about the condition with the support of public health communities.
Fokion Sinis, General Manager of Sanofi Pasteur Greater Gulf
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