While beds can be scaled up and extra areas recruited to provide critical care, without trained staff the planning will be ineffective. Staff illness rates and the risk to staff must be factored into the planning process. In the UK, staff illness has been estimated at 30% with work absences of up to 8 days [2] . Normal working patterns may need to be revised and facilities provided for staff to stay on site rather than go home to their families. Staff absence tends to be greater the longer special circumstances apply and the greater the impact on the lives of the staff [27] . The preventive effectiveness of neuraminidase inhibitors may make focussed chemoprophylaxis a strategy for reducing staff illness in critical care areas [28] .