Published February 5, 2013 Flu makes them healthy : Compounders Help Ease Symptoms of Flu

While most businesses have felt a little queasy about flu season, pharmacies and nutrition stores have scrambled to keep up with demand.

Reading Eagle: Jeremy Drey
By David A. Kostival
Reading Eagle correspondent
The federal government has confirmed what most of us already know: There is widespread flu activity in Pennsylvania.

While the Centers for Disease Control puts the annual medical costs for the flu season at $10.4 billion, there are also significant costs associated with work delays, lost productivity and sick pay in the workplace.

That puts local businesses on high alert to prevent employees from getting the flu.

Nim Traeger, vice president of casualty services in risk control for Connecticut-based Traveler’s Insurance, said businesses should have a contingency plan to make sure employees and the flow of work are not adversely affected by the flu.

“Businesses should preplan what to do if employees get sick,” Traeger said. “Identify critical tasks to know who is going to perform them. It can prove to be a valuable tool if you begin the flu season by doing a contingency-plan analysis.”

Traeger also said businesses should provide the flu vaccine during the pre-flu season and keep the spread of germs to a minimum by providing alcohol-based hand sanitizer and sanitizing wipes.

In the effort to be vigilant over the flu crisis, local pharmacies and health food stores are trying to keep medications and flu-related items well-stocked.

Michael DeAngelis, spokesman for CVS Caremark, based in Woonsocket, R.I., said the only reported shortage of medication in the Berks County area is Tamiflu Oral Suspension, the liquid form of Tamiflu.

“There has been a supply issue from the manufacturer, but the good news is that the capsule form is in plentiful supply,” DeAngelis said. “There may be sporadic shortages on a store-by-store basis, but overall, CVS stores have been very well-stocked for the flu season..

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