Preparing for Ebola in the workplace

[Moz]

Other than a handful of isolated cases, Ebola is currently confined to specific areas on the West coast of Africa and has to date, killed approx 3500 people and infected over 7000. While this is tragic, it's still relatively small numbers on a global scale.

However modelling by the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) predict that the number of infections could reach hundreds of thousands by the end of January 2015, (worst case scenario 500,000)

According to disease experts the likelihood of any outbreak in first world countries is extremely low, nevertheless isolated cases are a possibility, particularly where people travel to Australia from the infected countries (as we have already seen in the US).

The problem of course with Ebola, is that if you get it, it is quite likely you will die, so the risk needs to taken seriously.

With this in mind, has anyone started to put policies or plans in place to deal with staff who return to work after being in west Africa and subsequently become ill?

[Miketrees]

I know some hospitals are working on procedures.

I have not seen any other places that have taken steps