Any 1% increase in the employment rate corresponds to a 19% increase during flu-related doctor visits


Each one percent increase in the employment rate equates to a 19 percent increase in flu-related doctor visits, scientists found (stock)

Countries with a strong economy – such as the U.S. – can go through heavier flu seasons, scientists say.

Analysis of data showed that for every percent increase in the employment rate, there is a 19 percent increase in flu-related doctor visits.

Job growth means there are more people in the workplace, which could increase the spread of flu between people, experts say.

Retail and healthcare workers are most at risk because they come into contact with many people more often.

Researchers at Ball State University, Indiana, said monitoring the growth of the economy could be a way to prepare for a flu-like recovery.

Employers have also been urged to encourage sick days so that people don’t feel compelled to go to work when they are sick, which can spread bugs.

Each one percent increase in the employment rate equates to a 19 percent increase in flu-related doctor visits, scientists found (stock)

Each one percent increase in the employment rate equates to a 19 percent increase in flu-related doctor visits, scientists found (stock)

Unemployment has been falling steadily since 2011 in both the UK and the US. According to figures, 96 percent of adults worked in 2019.

Dr. Erik Nesson, an associate professor of economics and co-author of the study, said that a thriving economy can be negative for public health.

“It appears to be a place where higher economic activity is harming people’s health,” said Dr. Nesson on January 15: CBS News Releases.

The study, published in the journal Economics & Human Biology, was led by Dr. Sarah Markowitz, a professor of economics at Emory University.

CDC influenza data for the years 2010/2011 to 2016/2017 has been collected, for 48 states in the United States.

Doctors submit data every week during the flu season about the number of patients who have seen flu-like symptoms, including fever, cough, and sore throat.

The figures were compared with detailed employment statistics collected by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).

The spread of influenza was linked to increased employment, especially in sectors with a lot of interpersonal contact.

HOW TO PROTECT YOURSELF FROM THE FLU AT WORK

The Centers for Disease Control and Protection recommend that:

  • Find out more about your employer’s plans if a flu outbreak or other illness occurs and if flu vaccinations are offered on the spot.
  • Clean frequently used objects and surfaces, including doorknobs, keyboards and telephones, to remove germs.
  • Make sure there are plenty of tissues, soap, paper towels, alcohol-based hand rubs and disposable wipes in your workplace.
  • Train others on how to do your job so they can take care of you in case you or a family member get sick and need to stay at home.
  • If you start to feel sick at work, go home as soon as possible. This will help prevent you from spreading your illness to others.
  • Avoid close contact with sick people. If you are sick, keep away from others to prevent them from getting sick.
  • Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze. It is possible that the people around you get sick.

Job growth combined with deadly flu seasons in recent years should prompt employers to consider their disease policies, said Dr. Nesson.

“Employers need to account for differences in the lost productivity of many employees infected with influenza and the lost productivity of a few infected individuals taking sick leave,” he said.

“Employees who are concerned about missing a salary or losing their job due to staying home due to illness are less likely to heed early signs of influenza infection and stay at home.

“Since a person can be contagious while experiencing mild symptoms, this greatly increases the chance that the virus will spread to other employees in the company.

“This implies that companies should consider a more generous disease policy, especially during the flu season.”

Flu seasons span the winter months, but there is no consensus among scientists as to why this is the case.

The virus is transmitted through the spread of drops – when a person sneezes or coughs, their infected mucus remains in the air and can be picked up by someone else.

Keyboards, water coolers, bathrooms, and other office equipment like phones can all carry germs.

Dr. Nesson said that using public transportation and carpooling, working in offices, placing children in childcare, and having regular contact with the public all contribute to the spread of the flu.

Flu activity is high in the US this year. The death rate is nearly double last year, federal health officials warned this week. About 4,800 people have died, an increase of 65 percent since the start of the new year.

So far, about 9.7 million people have become ill and 87,000 people have been hospitalized, according to figures from the CDC.

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