Members Circular on prevention of swine influenza A (H1N1)

Dear Chamber Members, The recent occurrence of human cases of swine influenza A (H1N1) in Mexico and the United States is a strong indication that the H1N1 virus is likely to develop into a potential threat of a pandemic outbreak around the world. Extra attention on personal hygiene is vital in protecting ourselves from this pandemic disease. The HKGCC would like to remind our members to stay vigilant and be aware of the following health information. Overseas visits advice: Avoid visits to an area affected by swine flu unless it is absolutely necessary. For the latest information on countries and areas affected by swine flu, please visit the website of CHP: http://www.chp.gov.hk/files/pdf/Daily_update_on_swine_influenza_bilingual.pdf Advice on visiting an affected area: • Pay attention to announcements from the local government. • Follow local public health guidelines, including any movement restrictions and prevention recommendations. • Put on a mask during your stay. • Do not have contact with sick people. Advice on returning from an affected area • Pay close attention to your health and wear a mask when necessary. • See your doctor if you become sick with a fever plus cough, sore throat or have difficulty breathing during a 7-day period. • Do not travel when you are sick. HKGCC's precautious measures on office hygiene: To maintain the high quality of services that the Chamber provides to our members, we will carry out the following precautionary measures which may be subjected to review from time to time: • There shall be a thorough, weekly cleansing of staff workstations -- in addition to the daily general cleaning -- every Thursday at around 5 to 5:30 pm for 30 minutes . • For visitors to the Chamber, we will provide masks for them on demand at the reception desk. • The office will be divided into staff only area and visitor only area. Visitors are recommended to stay in the Reception area, the Boardroom, the Conference room, the Committee Room, the Library and the Glass Meeting Room. General Health Advice • Keep hands clean and wash hands properly. • Avoid touching eyes, nose or mouth. • Wash hands with liquid soap promptly after sneezing or coughing. • Cover nose and mouth when sneezing or coughing. • Always wrap nasal and mouth discharges with tissue paper, and dispose of the tissue paper properly in a lidded rubbish bin. • Wear mask when symptoms of respiratory tract infection or fever develop. • Refrain from work if you develop symptoms of influenza • Consult medical doctor when suffering from respiratory disease. Practicing good personal hygiene measures at all times is the key to preventing swine influenza. We will continue to monitor further development closely and will provide additional advice when necessary. For further information on flu prevention, please refer to the following websites: WHO- Swine flu update http://www.who.int/csr/don/2009_04_26/en/index.html CHP- Influenza Prevention Page http://www.chp.gov.hk/index.asp?lang=en Regards Alex Fong CEO