H1N1: Food workers should go to front of swine flu line

The Centers for Disease Control and the Pierce County Health Department have set priorities to protect people most likely to be exposed to the H1N1 virus and those with the greatest likelihood of lifetime after-effects: first, health care workers and pregnant women, then children and a few other groups when more vaccine is available.

BEVERLY ISENSON; Steilacoom

Published: 11/10/09 12:05 am

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The Centers for Disease Control and the Pierce County Health Department have set priorities to protect people most likely to be exposed to the H1N1 virus and those with the greatest likelihood of lifetime after-effects: first, health care workers and pregnant women, then children and a few other groups when more vaccine is available.

But what about potential spreaders? Anyone working in a restaurant is in daily contact with hundreds of people, some of whom may have H1N1 or other flu and common cold viruses. Restaurant workers who pick up H1N1 and other viruses from customers may spread them to others before realizing that they are sick.

And what will those restaurant workers do once they start feeling sick? How many will struggle to stay at work, or to come to work the following day, because they can’t afford a day without pay? And how many restaurants provide sick leave for their employees?

Patronizing restaurants and other food-related businesses which don’t provide sick leave to their employees puts all of us at risk.

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