The surge we’ve seen in cases of flu this winter poses an “unprecedented” workplace and public health challenge, an occupational health provider has warned.

Latus Group chief executive Jack Latus has warned that as many as 2.3 million people could be absent from work in the coming weeks because of this winter’s flu season.

Latus has highlighted latest data from NHS England, which has shown an average of 5,408 flu patients were in hospital in England each day in the week to 5 January, including 256 in critical care. This is up 21% from 4,469 the previous week, when 211 were in critical care.

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The figures dramatically exceed the 1,098 reported in early December, and represent a 3.5-fold increase compared to those observed in January 2024, underscoring the significant escalation of flu cases, Latus has warned.

The latest warning follows research suggesting absence from respiratory infections costs employers as much as £44bn a year, or the equivalent of £852 per employee.

Mass absence because of flu or similar illnesses this winter has the potential to affect productivity, service delivery, and overall economic stability, Latus said.

The OH provider includes Dyson, Ford and the NHS among its clients and provides services to some 4,000 companies.

“We’re facing an unprecedented professional and public health challenge with this flu outbreak,” says Latus.

“Our projections indicate a potential sick leave rate of 6,825 per 100,000 employees. Given the current UK workforce of 33.77 million, this could equate to approximately 2.3 million people absent from work due to flu – a figure unlike anything we’ve seen during flu season before.

“Furthermore, when we factor in the average sick leave duration of 2.5 days, the total number of lost working days due to this year’s flu season could be staggering, especially if we consider this year’s flu strain is particularly brutal causing longer recovery times.

“The potential for widespread disruption across all sectors of the economy is undeniable and we’re particularly concerned about the impact on essential services and critical infrastructure if large numbers of employees are unable to work and we urge businesses to take this particular flu season seriously. There are multiple measures that companies can adopt to not only help protect employees but minimise disruption and ensure operational continuity,” Latus added.

These measures included encouraging at-risk employees to get vaccinated against the flu and promoting good hygiene practices, such as frequent handwashing and covering coughs and sneezes.

Other measures that can be effective include implementing flexible working arrangements where possible, so as to allow employees to work from home when feeling unwell.

Developing contingency plans to manage potential staff shortages and providing clear communication and guidance to employees about the flu and its potential impact were other valuable responses that employers could take on board this winter, Latus said.

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