This past spring there was a period of time where you could not turn on the TV or pick up a newspaper without hearing about the swine flu. Schools closed and people panicked.

Then just as quick as it appeared, it disappeared from everyone’s mind.

Until now.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) estimates that 30 to 50 percent of the population will be infected by the H1N1 strain alone. It has already been declared a pandemic.

To businesses, this means employers can expect higher rates of absenteeism for people who are infected themselves, taking care of a sick family member, or staying home with children as a result of a school or day care being closed due to the outbreak.

The CDC recommends that in order for businesses to maintain operations they have plans in place to minimize the effects of an outbreak – including the use of technology to provide employees the ability to work from home.

Chris Wiser, CEO here at TechSquad, sees on a daily basis how technology can create a smoother flow of operations and can really make the difference in the event of a disaster. Because of his insight, BizTimes Milwaukee interviewed him to ask about remote office possibilities and how that could help during a severe outbreak. Check out the full story at http://www.biztimes.com/news/2009/10/2/h1n1-business-survival-guide

We have also developed a Technology Readiness Audit and comprehensive technology checklist to ensure each business who is interested in proactively planning for the outbreak has a tailored plan to suit their needs, their systems, and their employees.

If the pandemic affects 50% of the population the effects this would have on a small to medium business could be devastating… we could potentially see a lot of businesses close their doors due to a lack of planning for this type of disaster.