BUSINESSES have been told by the director of public health to prepare contingency plans in case a swine flu pandemic reaches the island.

‘The level at which you should start reacting is level five,’ said Dr Stephen Bridgman (pictured).

The World Health Organisation raised its pandemic alert from level four to five on Wednesday.

‘The key thing is that all organisations need to consider their business continuity plans now so that if people get ill they know how they can keep running things.

‘We will also be issuing advice within the States. We do have a business contingency officer,’ he said.

‘It is up to each department and each private business to do this.’

Dr Bridgman said that he would not be surprised if there was a case in the island, but not necessarily immediately.

‘We are preparing for the worst case scenario because it pays to be prepared.’

There have been two possible cases, he said, but both had tested negative, as had those in Jersey.