H1N1 a threat to job-holders -

Small businesses take precautions

If one more employee at The Laughing Turtle gets H1N1, there won’t be enough people to keep the business open during regular hours.

Only one person contracted the flu, but that’s one of three employees, employee Lauren Schneider said.

Small businesses like The Laughing Turtle, a Franklin Street clothing store, were recently encouraged by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to prepare for the upcoming flu season. Too many workers out sick could shut small businesses down.

The store’s infected employee was immediately sent home and told not to come back until four days after her fever broke.

It’s one example of Franklin Street small businesses’ efforts to keep employees healthy.

Jack Sprat Cafe

Jack Sprat Cafe co-owner and bartender Willoughby Nute said he has tried his best to stop touching the top of wine, beer or shot glasses he picks up while bartending.

Drivers now have to wash their hands as soon as they come back from deliveries.

He said nobody at his restaurant has contracted the flu.

“My awareness and knowledge of H1N1 has been raised so much throughout the last few months,” Nute said.

BSki’s

At BSki’s, what seemed like an employee’s common cold turned out to be H1N1 and she hasn’t been back to work since last week.

Now, BSki’s co-owner Brad Smith said if employees say they are feeling sick, he encourages them to stay home and fully recover before coming back to work.

Smith said only one of his 30 employees has contracted H1N1 so far.

Top of the Hill

Guy Murphy, general manager at Top of the Hill Restaurant and Brewery, said the restaurant has taken more traditional approaches to prevent the spread of H1N1.

Some of those include putting hand sanitizer by all the sinks, posting extra signs about washing hands and continuing to stay vigilant on restaurant cleanliness.

“So far we have been lucky enough to not have any employees contract H1N1, but I still think with all the media attention, it is something in the back of everyone’s mind,” he said.

Contact the City Editor at citydesk@unc.edu.