[Singapore, 14 May 2009] The Business Times.  The Influenza A (H1N1) risk seems to have abated in recent days, but health experts told human resource officers from local companies yesterday that they should keep their guard up.The executives from companies large and small were advised to stay vigilant and not assume that the worst cannot happen here, despite the Government lowering the alert from orange to yellow yesterday.

Dr Goh Moh Heng, president of the Singapore-based Business Continuity Management Institute, cautioned that while there are no reported H1N1 cases here, companies must be prepared as the disruption of business is inevitable once there is an outbreak.  "In my opinion, we are going to be hit by a second wave. The question is in what form and how severe it is," Dr Goh told 1,000 executives-mainly human resource staff-from small and medium-sized companies at the seminar at Suntec City.

He urged firms to maintain strict travel restrictions and perform what he calls a "quick impact analysis" on critical business functions if they have not done so.  "Take a position on what is critical and have a close consultation with the leadership on what must be conducted during an outbreak," said Dr Goh.  He urged businesses to "prepare for a long-drawn outbreak and intermittent disruptions", including fatigue, resignations and loss of staff.  Mr Lau Weng Hong, the Ministry of Manpower's deputy director, told the seminar that the Government is "prepared to meet the challenge".

The Health Ministry has stockpiled enough anti-viral drugs such as Tamiflu, but he added that people should be socially responsible and practise good personal hygiene.

Extracted from the Business Times as reported by Gabriel Chen on 14 May 2009

Afternote:  [Singapore, 9 November 2009] ChannelNewsAsia.  Singapore has received 250,000 doses of the H1N1 vaccine, and a further 750,000 doses are expected to be delivered by the end of the year.