Sarah Dennis, Head of International at Towergate Health & Protection, urges all employers to take steps to protect their staff from communicable diseases while working in other countries.
With the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO) recently issuing an update on Oropouche Fever, and continued MPOX outbreaks and warnings of a new COVID strain, Towergate Health & Protection is urging companies with overseas employees to urgently review their policies on communicable diseases.
Sarah Dennis, Head of International at Towergate Health & Protection, said: “While it is names like Ebola, Zika Virus, and MPOX that hit the headlines, communicable diseases like measles, flu, Covid, and gastroenteritis can have just as severe outcomes. With so much attention on ‘exotic’ viruses, employers must not forget the impact that the more familiar illnesses can also have on overseas employees. Now is the time to make sure that employees working abroad are safeguarded against the possible consequences.”
The risks
Although the viruses in the news are very serious, the numbers of people severely impacted are relatively low. Official reports show that globally there have been 220 deaths among confirmed cases of MPOX. This compares to an annual estimated 136,000 deaths from measles, 700,000 deaths from seasonal flu, and 1.3 million deaths from tuberculosis. Figures also show that since the COVID pandemic there has been a sharp increase in cases of tuberculosis, measles and influenza, much of which has been attributed to a reduced number of vaccinations being offered or taken up.
Employers must have plans in place
Companies with overseas employees should have a plan in place regarding communicable diseases. Employees working abroad are not only potentially at greater risk of encountering communicable and infectious diseases, but they are also outside of the care of their own national health services. Employers should make sure that employees are aware of any vaccination programmes or make their own arrangements if these are not in place. Vaccination should be researched and carefully considered so that informed choices can be made.
Risks for different demographics of staff must be considered ...
Photo: Sarah Dennis.