The Lexington, Ky.-based National Association of State Chief Information Officers (NASCIO) has created a guide for state CIOs to use during a pandemic outbreak. “Pandemic Planning and Response for State IT: Where’s My Staff?” deals primarily with maintaining IT services despite high absenteeism.

A pandemic outbreak of a disease like avian flu could cripple the workforce of an IT department and its suppliers, according to NASCIO. “Traditionally, IT disruptions are planned for based on anticipated disasters, both natural and manmade, that can physically damage facilities and equipment,” said David Taylor, chairman of NASCIO’s Disaster Recovery Working Group that wrote the publication. “However, pandemics are unique in that they affect an organization’s workforce, as opposed to its physical infrastructure, and therefore require a radically different approach for recovery efforts.”

The brief is available at www.nascio.org/publications/.