How does Swine Flu affect businesses?

Answer 1

Some of the types of businesses that have products or services that are in demand with an outbreak of a viral epidemic are:

# The surgical mask manufacturers # The waterless hand sanitizer makers.

# Laboratories doing the swabs for testing to determine what type of virus may be involved. # The more esoteric labs that do more sensitive and specific higher level testing. # The facial and toilet tissue companies. # The Sports drink industries. # Health Care Providers: doctors, hospitals, clinics, urgent care centers

# Disinfectant spray makers. # Cough medicine and analgesic pharmaceutical companies. # Anti-viral medication producers. # Question and Answer web services. # Disposable diaper makers.

Answer 2

One of the more obvious ways would be a reduction in productivity due to reduction in labor force while employees are staying home with the disease.

It could cause employees who have to travel in their work to miss appointments and perhaps lose sales or disrupt customer relations.

If your business is dependent on another for manufacturing parts or materials, while that other company has down time from the employee illnesses, your company may have to reduce or even halt your production.

There may be extra costs incurred which would reduce profits if preventive or protective materials like respirators or face masks are required to be provided to the personnel, such as in health care settings.

Your customer base may decline while the outbreak is present in your location while people avoid going to public places or group situations. This would likely impact recreational, retail shopping, and restaurant businesses the most.

On the other hand, companies that supply equipment and materials or products in response to an outbreak may benefit from the presence of the flu. Examples would be distributors or manufacturers of respirators and face masks, products for the symptomatic relief of the illness such as cough medicines, fever reducers, other over the counter medicines, etc.

Distributors or makers of cleaning supplies and equipment should also see increased sales and profits.

The CDC has published resources for businesses and employers regarding the

Novel H1N1 Influenza. A link is provided in the related links section below.