It's Flu Season - and 8 of 10 Employees Will Come To Work Sick

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While the CDC reports increasing influenza activity, a new survey shows that US workers routinely go to work while sick. The poll, conducted in late November, shows 84% of adult US employees have gone to work while sick. Of those, nearly half don’t warn co-workers about their illness. The same number don’t avoid direct contact – such as shaking hands – which could transmit illness to others. The survey, commissioned by Cintas Corporation, was conducted in late November.

A Cintas spokesman said workplaces can quickly become breeding grounds for bacteria when workers are sick. He pointed out that illness reduces productivity and encouraged workers and business owners to take precautions, such as avoiding contact with sick co-workers and stocking medicine cabinets with decongestants and other staples for cold-weather months.

According to this week’s FluView report, influenza activity continues to increase in the United States across most key indicators. Overall, influenza activity is being reported widely across much of the United States. Twenty-nine states reported widespread geographic influenza activity for the week of December 9-15, 2012. During the prior week, only 18 states reported widespread activity. Twelve states are now reporting high influenza-like-illness (ILI) activity:  Alabama, Georgia, Illinois, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Utah, and Virginia. This is an increase from the eight states that reported high ILI activity last week.

Check this week's flu stats at the CDC.
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