Spring’s Response to the Risk of Pandemic Influenza

Statement on Spring’s Response to the Risk of Pandemic Influenza
 
May 2009 - The outbreak of the A/H1N1 influenza virus has had minimal to limited impact on Spring’s operations in the affected countries. To date, none of our employees is reported ill and staying at home because of the virus.
 
The health and wellbeing of our employees and their families is one of Spring’s primary concerns. Consequently, Spring employees and their families have been informed and provided with awareness materials on how to protect themselves and how to recognise a suspected infection and handle accordingly. For example, communications means items such as videos and leaflets containing instructions are being, or have already been distributed. Further, Spring has advised a travel restriction to and from Mexico to its employees and will revise our position on travel restrictions in alignment with World Health Organisation (WHO), regional, national and local requirements.
 
It is impossible to predict with certainty the way in which any potential pandemic will materialise and it is also impossible to predict the way in which national and regional governments will react. This has been illustrated by the way some governments reacted by closing offices and schools in affected regions or by implementing travel restrictions to and from Mexico.
 
Spring’s approach to the risk of pandemic influenza is aligned with the six phases of pandemic preparedness of the World Health Organisation but also designed to allow flexibility for local circumstances. Spring’s approach is consistent in all our locations and includes comprehensive Business Continuity Plans (BCP’s) which include: 

• Guidance and implementation of infection prevention within all Spring facilities,
• Planning for travel restrictions,
• Planning for staff shortages and identification of critical processes and the people and skills needed to operate them,
• Planning for possible erratic supply of some utilities and fuel. 

Across Spring’s global operations, all BCP’s have been activated since Monday 27 April, 2009. All BCP’s are managed on a business unit level or local level for critical operational centers. The BCP’s for Spring operations in North America (Canada )are currently on alert level 5 as per the current WHO classification and all other Spring countries are currently on alert level 4. Spring continues to closely monitor expert advice from national and global health organizations and will move other locations and regions to level 5 or higher as is deemed prudent to do so.

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