Offering customers hand sanitizer is one step stores could take to help reduce the spread of swine flu. (Donna McWilliam/Associated Press)

The federal government has awarded a $926,000 contract to help small and medium-sized businesses respond to the swine flu pandemic, Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced Wednesday.

The Public Health Agency of Canada awarded the contract to the non-profit International Centre for Infectious Disease in Winnipeg.

"The International Centre for Infectious Disease, in partnership with the Canadian Chamber of Commerce, will develop extensive communication programs designed to reach over 300,000 small and medium businesses," Aglukkaq told a news conference.

"This will help to develop tools and strategies that small and medium-sized business can use for business continuity planning."

Solid continuity plans will help small businesses to respond quickly and more effectively not only to the pandemic but other possible crises, said Dr. David Butler-Jones, Canada's chief public health officer.

"Assessing organizational capacity and putting processes in place now will continue to help organizations grow in the future, especially if they're able to maintain operation throughout the pandemic or other events," he said.

Checklist for businesses

A checklist of what to consider would help many small businesses owners, who need to realize that if one person comes into work sick then cases could quickly multiply to take out a third of the workforce, Butler-Jones said.

For Toronto bakery owner Dufflet Rosenberg, the biggest worry is making sure there are enough people at work to make pastries.

"If it was all the key employees who were sick that would definitely be a problem," said Rosenberg, who employs 120 workers. "But at this point, we do have access to some other people to come into work."

Most Canadians get five to seven sick days a year. Human resource consultants said flu pandemics were often not considered when sick leave policies were drawn up, but many businesses many need to take a look at those policies if more people start getting sick this fall.

Businesses will be given advice on how to help people work from home if they're too sick to come in but well enough to contribute.

Plans would differ depending on the sector. Small stores in remote areas could post signs advising customers to send someone else to pick up supplies if they are sick, and offer hand sanitizer to people before they handle goods, Butler-Jones suggested.

Health Canada could also provide a telephone information line, websites and pamphlets; access to business experts is being considered.

Opposition questions

Aglukkaq also said she was "disappointed" that opposition health critics called for a committee meeting on Wednesday, because it takes time away from planning for the fall, noting that she and her officials have been providing regular updates for the opposition.

At the meeting, Manitoba NDP MP Judy Wasylycia-Leis asked about the federal government's plans regarding the rapid spread of the H1N1 virus among some First Nations communities.

Aglukkaq answered that nursing stations have been given more masks and gowns. Antiviral drugs are also available.

Since health care in hospitals is delivered provincially, Butler-Jones said the federal government has lent out ventilators and could do so again, but provinces need to have trained staff to use them.

School closures in India

Pandemic preparations are also continuing at hospitals, health districts and schools. Butler-Jones said revised federal guidelines would be released shortly to help schools prepare as school boards continue discussions with local health units.

Meanwhile in India, officials in Mumbai have decided to close schools to help deal with the spread of swine flu.

Starting on Thursday, all schools and colleges in the city of 18 million people will shut for a week as a precaution. Movie theatres will also be closed for three days.

A Hindu festival and the country's Independence Day celebrations on the weekend are also being scaled back.

India has 1,078 confirmed cases of swine flu according to the country's Health Ministry, with many of the infections occurring in people who have returned from travelling abroad.

With files from The Associated Press