UK: Swine flu could paralyse country, Whitehall is told

The Observer, Sunday 12 July 2009

Vital sections of society could be paralysed if swine flu reaches epidemic proportions as expected, the government has been warned.

A Whitehall meeting of emergency services and business chiefs has been told that more than a third of Britain's businesses have no response plans at all for dealing with the pandemic, while specific fears have been raised about the ability of the country's broadband network and the London Underground to operate effectively.

The development follows news last week that the first British person with no underlying health problems had died of swine flu. The patient, who died on Friday at a hospital in Essex, was the 15th swine flu-related death in the UK. "This death underlines that, although the virus is proving generally mild in most people, it is more severe in some cases," said the government's chief medical officer, Sir Liam Donaldson.

Doctors have also warned that rates of infection are reaching epidemic levels in London and the West Midlands. Several million people could become ill with either seasonal flu or swine flu by the end of the year. Schools would close and transport and other vital services, such as GP surgeries, would be put under severe strain.

As a result, health officials are considering plans that would allow people with suspected swine flu to take up to two weeks off work without a doctor's note. At present employees are allowed to sign themselves off sick for seven days.

According to data revealed at the Whitehall meeting, 38% of businesses have no response plans for dealing with a pandemic. At the meeting, transport bosses outlined details of how trains, airports and bus services would function. Transport for London officials said staff shortages could produce a reduced tube service but argued this would be sufficient as there would be fewer commuters.

But international business continuity expert Lyndon Bird, who attended the meeting, told the Observer he was "not convinced" by TfL's response. Bird, who is international technical director of the Business Continuity Institute, was also sceptical about the ability of Britain's digital infrastructure to cope with hundreds of thousands of people being forced to work from home.

BT could not give "definitive" assurances that Britain's broadband network would work fully because of the vast numbers of people logging on from home, he said.