The City of Prince George has put in place contingency plans to maintain essential services in case the H1N1 outbreak proves more severe than expected.

Managing the city's response plan is Prince George Fire Rescue Service Deputy Chief John Lane. Lane was the district chief of emergency medical services for the Toronto Fire Service during the 2003 SARS outbreak in that city.

"What we're seeing with H1N1 is a much more mild or moderate disease," Lane said. "In Australia, without the vaccine, they saw a peak absenteeism rate of 10 per cent."

The city has protocols to close non-essential services and preserve essential ones if absenteeism rates spike to 30 per cent or greater.

"I'm quite confident with H1N1 that we will not see that sort of absenteeism rate," Lane said.

City cleaning staff will be increasing the frequency they clean surfaces in public and staff areas, he said. They will also be ensuring hand sanitizer and anti-microbial wipes are available.

"Most importantly, stay home if you're sick. If infected people stay home it reduces the risk of spreading the infection," Lane said. "We have asked our supervisors to enforce this."

City supervisors will have disposable thermometers, he said. Any employee showing signs of a fever will be sent home.

In addition, once the H1N1 vaccine is available to the general public the city will hire nurses to provide the vaccine to all staff members who will take it, he said.

"What officials are trying to do is create 'herd immunity.' If enough people are immune to a disease, it effectively can't spread," Lane said.

So far the city hasn't seen a spike in absent employees. On average 28 employees are away sick on any given day, out of 775 staff.

"In the last pay period we had 28 (per day), so right on average."