SUSPECTED OR CONFIRMED CONTAGIOUS ILLNESS

WARNING
This information sheet is to be used as an aid to managing sensitive situations.
Its recommendations may be applied either simultaneously or in a different order, as required.
A short response time is vital: the first hour is critical.
The most important thing is always to identify the most effective response.
Sensitive situations must be managed on the basis of teamwork involving staff and management.

Definition: Guest or employee showing symptoms or victim of an infectious contagious

illness (meningitis, rubella, chicken pox, SARS, avian flu, etc.).

Suspicion of a contagious illness:

 Take all necessary measures to :

o Isolate the sick person ;
o Identify all the people that may have been in contact with the sick person.
 Send for a doctor or contact the local health authorities. Keep in mind to maintain any evidence of
health authorities’ recommendations.
 Take preliminary measures to promote an efficient external crisis communication.
While awaiting precise instructions:
- Avoid any communication. The following message can be issued to respond to request:
“We are extremely careful and we are collecting all necessary information. We will come back to you
as soon as possible.”
Even in case of frequent requests from the media, any interview should be postponed and the waiting
message repeated until instructions from the Country/Zone/Brand Communication Department.
- Pass on these instructions to your staff.
- Allocate an appropriate and specific reception area for the media.
- Ensure the switchboard directs the calls (putting call through to the designated persons, take messages or
name and phone number collection)
 Follow the recommendations from the Country/Zone/Brand Communication Department.

Once the risk of contagion is confirmed:

 If the hotel has a crisis committee, call a meeting of its members to coordinate the necessary
measures.
 Call the health authorities.
 Appoint a member of staff to meet and guide the emergency services and authorities.
 Appoint a manager to liaise with the emergency services.
 Make sure that any family, children or friends of those affected are looked after.
 Gather all essential information about those affected, from friends or family.
(Identity, contact details, next of kin, medical information, etc.)
 In the event of meningitis or SARS, identify any guest or employee that has been in close or long-
lasting contact with the sick person over the last 7 days.

Risk Management Department: Subsidiary and managed hotel– September 2012

 Contagious Illness

 In the event of rubella, encourage confirmed or potential pregnant women to report the incident to
their doctor. It is recommended to propose medical consultation with presence of a witness, and
maintain any written evidence of the offers of assistance.
 Report the incident to the Country/Zone/Brand management team (superior and HRM) or hotel
head office crisis coordinator as quickly as possible.
If your hierarchy cannot be reached, contact the Corporate Crisis Hotline (24/7) by dialling
+33 609 100 200
Evaluate the situation with the management team or person contacted:
o Where does the infection come from?
o How many guests or employees are infected?
o How many guests or employees could be infected?
o What is the impact on the business of the hotel?
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o Are there any VIPs or celebrities amongst the affected guests?
o Has there been media coverage and/or are the media present?
 Submit the summary of preliminary information.
A template can be downloaded from IntrAccor/Group/Risk management
Recipients: Hierarchy and the Country/Zone/Brand crisis coordinator
cc: Corporate Crisis Hotline (alert.hotline@accor.com)

 Take preliminary measures to promote an efficient external crisis communication.

While awaiting precise instructions:
- Avoid any communication. The following message can be issued to respond to request:
“We are in close contact with the health authorities, and all the precautions under such
circumstances have been taken. We will come back to you shortly as soon as the security measures
are set up.”
Even in case of frequent requests from the media, any interview should be postponed and the waiting
message repeated until instructions from the Country/Zone/Brand Communication Department.
- Pass on these instructions to your staff.
- Allocate an appropriate and specific reception area for the media.
- Ensure the switchboard directs the calls (putting call through to the designated persons, take messages or
information concerning contacts)
 Follow the recommendations from the Country/Zone/Brand Communication Department.
 Open the logbook at the earliest.
Note down the following as they occur, complete with full details and precise times: events, decisions taken,
actions implemented and details of the people involved (a template can be downloaded from
IntrAccor/Group/Risk management)
 Record in the log book the guests and staff’s stories.
Make a note of their details, including full name, address and telephone number(s).
Use the report record sheet, if necessary.
 If the sick person cannot do so personally, information of his/her family by the police (if legally
required by the national regulation) or by the General Manager:
- If necessary, coordinate with the tour operator which sold the trip.
- Assuming the guest is a foreigner, if he/she cannot make the call personally, the GM informs the
appropriate consulate or embassy which will then contact the employee's family.
- In every case, the family should be given a direct phone number to contact the GM without being
transferred via reception.
- Be factual when giving information.
 Organise food and beverages for all persons required to remain in their room.
 Transmit to the switchboard operator the name of the manager in charge of answering to the
external phone calls.

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The involvement of a VIP or celebrity does not affect the level of support given by the Group, but it may impact on the way
information and communication are managed.

Risk Management Department: Subsidiary and managed hotel– September 2012

 Contagious Illness

Monitor the situation:

 Respect all recommendations from the doctor or health authorities. Keep in mind to maintain any
evidence of health authorities’ recommendations.
 Offer assistance to those affected or relatives and help them throughout their stay at the hotel.
e.g.: medical consultations, airport transfers and repatriation.
 Secure the victim’s belongings.
Make an agreed inventory of the victim's effects in the presence of a manager and (where possible) a
representative of the police or emergency services.
 Retain the logbook and any other documents relating to how the event has been managed.
(May be useful if legal proceedings follow).
 Where a patient has been admitted to hospital or is on sick leave, obtain regular updates on his or
her condition.
 Offer counselling to any guests or staff members who may need it.
 If appropriate, set-up a health, safety and working conditions committee.

Risk Management Department: Subsidiary and managed hotel– September 2012