Why don't we hear more about pandemic flu at ERC and other industry resources?

I think, unfortunately, pandemic flu or something like it is going to have huge impact on our industry (remember SARS, that was nothing compared to what may happen with Asian bird flu). Funny I don't hear it discussed much, perhaps we are all too busy on the current moment and unable to spend time preparing for things that may or may not happen. From the information I've heard, its not a question of "if" but rather "when." If you have any good information on the relocation industry's attention/thoughts around preparations for pandemic flu, please let me know. Here's an article from Watson Wyatt on the subject of whether companies are creating plans to prepare for it or not:

Companies Preparing for Avian Flu Across the Globe, Watson Wyatt Survey Finds
WASHINGTON, March 21, 2006 –
Multinational companies are taking steps in many parts of the world to plan for the possibility of an avian flu outbreak, a new survey by Watson Wyatt Worldwide, a global human capital firm, has found.
The survey of 90 multinational companies found that 52 percent of companies operating in Asia-Pacific are considering putting programs in place in that region to deal with the avian flu. Forty-eight percent of companies operating in the United States are considering such plans, as are 47 percent in Europe, 44 percent in Latin America and 42 percent in Canada.
Companies are much more likely to already have plans in place (32 percent) in Asia-Pacific to deal with the effects of the avian flu. Only 15 percent have plans in place in the United States, 11 percent in Europe, 10 percent in Canada and 9 percent in Latin America. In addition, about one in five companies is not at all concerned about the avian flu.


Greatly or Moderately Concerned About Avian Flu Plan in Place in Event of Outbreak
Asia-Pacific
74% 32%
Europe
45% 11%
Canada
38% 10%
Latin America
36% 9%
United States
34% 15%

“While focusing on Asia is a logical response to news of flu cases there, employers need to make sure they are considering the possible impact the avian flu could have on all regions,” said Robert Wesselkamper, director of international consulting at Watson Wyatt. “It pays to be proactive when dealing with a virus that could have such a big impact on the workforce.”
Companies also said they were far more worried about an avian flu outbreak in Asia than in other regions. A strong majority (74 percent) said they were concerned to a great or moderate extent about the impact the flu would have on their workforce in Asia-Pacific, compared with 45 percent in Europe, 38 percent in Canada, 36 percent in Latin America and 34 percent in the United States.
“A good first step for companies is to note what worked and what didn’t in their planned responses to past threats such as SARS,” Wesselkamper said. “Companies should also make sure to communicate their formal plans to manage through any business interruption — including alternative work arrangements and reimbursement for preventive and onset treatment — to the entire workforce, particularly associates responsible for deployment.”

About Watson Wyatt Worldwide
Watson Wyatt Worldwide (NYSE:WW) is a global human capital and financial management consulting firm. The firm specializes in employee benefits, human capital strategies, technology solutions, and insurance and financial services and has 6,000 associates in 30 countries. The firm is located on the Web at http://www.watsonwyatt.com/.
Contact
Ed Emerman, 609/452-5967, eemerman@eaglepr.comEmily Rieger, 703/258-7634, emily.rieger@watsonwyatt.com