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Source: Reuters -
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Health officials are warning the H1N1 flu is coming and it will have a big impact, saying that one in three people will get it.
Medical Officers of Health now have legal powers to enforce quarantines and exclude children and teachers from schools.
Canterbury Medical Officer of Health Dr Alistair Humprey says the H1N1 flu is far more contagious than normal flu, and says that will cause enormous disruption for business.
The news has the Engineering, Printing and Manufacturing Union concerned, saying that workers should not have to pay the price for swine flu
EPMU national secretary Andrew Little says quarantine can mean significant costs to workers and that these should be met by their employer if the exposure is work-related.
"There can be a significant cost to a worker when they are quarantined ranging from loss of allowances to not being able to work their second job and we believe that cost should be paid by the employer if the quarantine is the result of workplace exposure," he says.
"With predictions of an increased spread of swine flu, it's important that employers prepare to take responsibility for the costs of workplace exposure."
The EPMU represents 45,000 New Zealand workers including several thousand who work in industries with high-risk of swine flu exposure.
Meanwhile, 16 Gisborne Boys' High School students recently returned from a trip to Brisbane are being isolated in their homes with suspected H1N1 flu.
Nineteen people were on the trip: 16 students, two teachers and one parent and the group notified health authorities on Tuesday morning after five exhibited flu-like symptoms.
Public Health staff will take swabs and the ones that have viral symptoms will be prescribed a course of Tamiflu.
The number of confirmed H1N1 cases in New Zealand remained at 17.
