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U.S. Flu Activity Widespread: Survey
Flu season is in full swing. According to the CDC, 49 out of 50 states have widespread influenza activity. Did you know that one of the most common places to come in contact with the flu is the workplace? Unfortunately, the virus can be passed one day before symptoms develop and five to seven days after getting sick.
An annual survey conducted by Staples Business Advantage (SBA), the business-to-business arm of Staples, found that employees who had the flu last year took an average of just 2.7 sick days. This means many returned to work when they were at peak contagiousness. To add insult to injury, more than 50% of respondents said they came back to work before they felt better.
Respondents said that workplaces aren’t doing enough to help prevent the flu from spreading.
- Only 53% of their workplaces offer sick leave
- Just 51% offer cleaning services for common areas and bathrooms
- Less than half offer tissues (47%) and anti-viral cleaning supplies (43%)
- Only 36% offer vaccination days
- Just 17% allow employees to work from home
More From 3/5/2019 on FacilitiesNet