… are we on the wrong track with pandemic planning?

Recently I attended a seminar on Pandemic Planning. The presenter was talking about all the standard approaches, and the need for organisations to ensure they have an adequate stockpile of Personal Protective Equipment (PPE).

This started me thinking – we cannot sustain these approaches to this problem.

• Let’s say you want to protect 500 people across your organisation with masks
• A person will need 3 masks per day = 1500 masks each day
• The pandemic wave may be a variable duration, but estimate 4-6 weeks.
• You are going to have to stockpile approximately 450,000 masks!

• And they do not last forever

You may also want to consider an alcohol-based hand sanitizer for you staff to use.

• This will amount to several tons of material you will have to store

It is considered a Hazardous Material, so has to be stored in the prescribed manner

It has a use by date and may need to be replaced several times before the next pandemic wave hits

Will your organisation be willing to make and sustain these investments for the long-term?

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