As June begins with few headline-making health issues other than the threat of sunburn and seasonal allergies, it's good to know that the H1N1 (swine flu) pandemic scarcely emerged out of the threat stage–in spite of the apocalyptic predictions in the news media. Right now, the U.S. leads the world in swine flu cases–yet the mild strain has only resulted in a few deaths here. Like the Y2K catastrophe that failed to materialize in 2000, the swine flu panic seems like much ado about nothing, right?

Don't kid yourself. Given the scientific odds and our interconnected world, some form of pandemic seems to be inevitable–and your business had better be ready for it.

Harry Rhulen, CEO of Firestorm Solutions, which specializes in business continuity, communicable illness and other risk-based planning, called the swine flu outbreak the "perfect test exercise" to determine if a business is prepared for something more serious (read the Web exclusive article "Swine flu threatens more than illness" at agentandbroker.com). The flu could still sweep through impoverished Southern Hemisphere countries over the next few months, mutate, and roar back to the rest of the world in the fall, Rhulen said. The 1918 flu pandemic started out as a minor strain before mutating and killing more than 50 million people worldwide. Even your garden-variety winter cold-and-flu season can take down a business with heavy absenteeism, especially at companies that have cut back on health benefits. According to management consultants The Omnia Group, companies like General Motors, which eliminated its free flu shot programs, could face crippling absenteeism when the traditional flu season hits. The worst thing businesses can do is engage in "disaster denial," Rhulen said. "If during the swine flu threat your suppliers hadn't been able to deliver their products, if your employees didn't show up for work–if all those things had really fallen into place–what would it have meant to your business?" he asked. "People who aren't asking those 'what if' questions are making a big mistake."