That Flu's a Swine

Wed 17th June 09, 4pm

Swine flu fever is gripping New Zealand, with the media gleefully counting up the number of infected each day.  It's like a very dull version of 28 Days Later.  And true to form my employers have taken a bizarre stand on the matter.  Despite the fact it has proven no more deadly than standard flu, they have :-

• distributed bottles of Hand Sanitizer around the office with instructions on how to avoid catching flu.
• told us to avoid "double dipping" our spoons, and to go home immediately should we experience any flu-like symptoms.
  
• cancelled team briefs and banned dips and crisps from social gatherings due to risks of cross-contamination
• appointed an Influenza Manager with responsibility for whipping up the hysteria and generating three emails an hour on current progress

It's not just us - one of our major clients have adopted an Influenza Policy which forbids anyone arriving in the country from attending site for 7 days, which means I may be forced to work from home when I get back from the UK.  Oh what a pity ;-)

What they forget to mention is that most of us commute by train, sneezed and coughed upon as we trundle into town in those crowded germ wagons.

The media are also advising everyone stock up on food so you can quarantine yourself for a week to "Get Thru It".  I'm wondering if I should be arming myself ready to fend off hordes of snotty zombies trying to steal our Lemsip Max Strength ...

Mind you, I won't be laughing if it stops us from travelling back to the UK next month.

Swine-flu-medication