Workwell

Infection Control, Immunisation and Screening

Infectious diseases can be transferred from one infected person to another and include viral illnesses such as influenza, other common viruses causing influenza-like illness and colds and coughs, as well as gastroenteritis (diarrhea and vomiting illnesses). These can be a significant cause of lost productivity for a business.

Screening looks for cancer risk factors such as the Human Papillomavirus (HPV), and signs of cancer such as blood in the bowel. Screening applies to people who do not have symptoms. It helps spot cancer risk factors at an early stage, helping to reduce the risk of disease, and increase the chance of detecting cancer early.

New Zealand lost around 9.95 million working days to absence in 2022 (these are COVID 19 influenced statistics). Illness (non-work related) was the most common cause of absence. The direct costs of absence amounted to $2.86 billion across the economy in 2022.

Promoting good infection control measures, immunisation and screening within your workplace can prevent a wide range of infectious diseases and support staff health outcomes.

See the following sections for examples of how to address Infection Control, Immunisation and Screening at each of these levels.