University braces itself for flu epidemic

Contingency plan to ensure that life can go on, even if one in three employees falls ill

by Claus Baggersgaard (English version by Luci Ellis)

Empty desks, phones echo unanswered in abandoned offices, students in despair as they cannot register for exams. This is what may lie in wait for the University of Copenhagen (U of C).

Spurred by the National Health Service of Denmark’s prediction that influenza A may infect a third of the Danish population in the coming months, the university will attempt to limit the spread of the illness by hanging up posters in all faculties with good advice on how to avoid infection.

Cleaning staff have been briefed on their role in fighting the spread of the illness, which includes extra thorough cleaning of door handles.

IT services and animals ‘critical’

Those who fall ill are advised to stay at home for the duration of their illness.

»Our employees are incredibly responsible and are very eager to come to work, but our message is that they can best serve their own and the University of Copenhagen’s interests by staying home«, Niels Balslev Wendelboe, assistant manager for HR and Organisation at the U of C notes.

The faculties have been asked to prepare a contingency plan to determine who will attend to the most critical tasks which must be carried out no matter what, in the event of a wave of sick leave absences.

Examples of critical tasks are IT services and the care of the animals in the stalls of the Faculty of Life Sciences (Life).

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