Iceland Sees More Flu Hospitalisations Than Previous Years: Lessons for Offices and Coworking Spaces

Last updated: 9 Nov 2026  |  11 Views  | 

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Iceland Sees More Flu Hospitalisations Than Previous Years: Lessons for Offices and Coworking Spaces

Iceland advised staying home until 24 hours fever-free, cleaning shared surfaces and ventilating. Offices in Thailand can do all three today.

The True Story: Iceland Faces an Earlier, Heavier Flu Season

Iceland's Directorate of Health reported for week 2 of 2026 that there were 22 flu diagnoses, 18 of them H3. One infant was admitted to hospital, and respiratory hospital admissions were significantly higher than in previous years, with the season starting early.

Vaccination stood at 54% among people aged 60 and over and 23% among children under five. The directorate advised people to stay home until 24 hours fever-free, clean shared surfaces and ventilate.

The Key Lesson: Simple Advice Any Office Can Follow

Offices and coworking spaces in Thailand have hot desks, meeting rooms and pantries that everyone shares.

  • Stay home until 24 hours fever-free as company policy
  • Shared surfaces are the risk: hot desks, keyboards and pantries
  • Ventilate meeting rooms between meetings
  • The season can come early, so prepare from the start of the year
  • Vaccination among at-risk groups is low; companies can host a vaccine day

How Flu Spreads

According to the World Health Organization, seasonal influenza spreads easily where people gather, such as schools and nursing homes. It spreads through droplets when people cough or sneeze, and through hands that touch contaminated surfaces and then the eyes, nose or mouth. Most people recover within a week, but young children, older adults, pregnant women and people with chronic illness are at risk of severe disease. Influenza is an enveloped virus, which suitable disinfectants can inactivate.

Risk Register for Offices and Coworking Spaces

Scoring: high likelihood × high impact = critical / medium × high = high / low × high = medium
  1. Sick staff coming to work: likelihood high / impact high / level critical. Mitigation: Stay home until 24h fever-free; work from home. Owner: HR
  2. Contaminated hot desks and keyboards: likelihood high / impact medium / level high. Mitigation: Wipe before use and fog after hours. Owner: Building manager
  3. Closed meeting rooms with poor airflow: likelihood medium / impact medium / level medium. Mitigation: Breaks between meetings and room ozone treatment. Owner: Admin
  4. Shared pantries and water dispensers: likelihood high / impact low / level medium. Mitigation: Wipe fridge handles and buttons several times a day. Owner: Housekeeping
  5. Key team ill at the same time: likelihood medium / impact high / level high. Mitigation: Split teams on alternate days during outbreaks. Owner: Management

7 Steps to Prevent Flu in the Office

  1. Announce a stay-home-until-24h-fever-free policy with work from home
  2. Place disinfectant wipes at every hot desk zone for wiping before use
  3. Wipe the pantry, fridge and water dispenser several times a day
  4. Leave gaps between meetings and open doors to ventilate
  5. Fog the whole office after hours or at weekends in flu season
  6. Ozone-treat meeting rooms and phone booths when empty
  7. Host an office vaccine day with a clinic

How ULV Disinfection Fogging Helps

The World Health Disinfection disinfection service uses ULV fogging machines that turn the disinfectant into a fine mist. It settles across the whole area, including corners, curtains, upholstery and surfaces that hand wiping cannot reach.

  • Whole-area coverage without relying on wiping spot by spot
  • Quick return to use, typically about 30 minutes after fogging
  • Uses Chemgene HLD4H, which meets EN 14476 for virucidal activity according to the product page
  • The team wears full protective equipment, so owners and staff do not take the risk themselves
  • Report and photos after the job for customers, management or authorities
  • Tax invoice with 3% withholding tax for companies and agencies

Ozone Treatment for Closed Rooms and Stuffy Spaces

The World Health Disinfection ozone treatment service uses machines that generate ozone gas from oxygen in the air. It suits closed rooms such as meeting rooms, bedrooms, classrooms, sick bays and vans, helping reduce germs in the air and on surfaces and removing stale odours. Ozone breaks back down into oxygen after treatment, leaving no residue.

  • Works alongside disinfection fogging: spray or wipe surfaces first, then use ozone for the air and corners of closed rooms
  • No people or pets in the room during treatment: the team seals the room and runs a timer
  • Ventilate after treatment before normal use resumes
  • Machines tested by Intertek, according to WHD's service page
  • Ideal after someone has been ill, such as recovered patients' rooms, shared bedrooms and shuttle vans

Before and After

Before: Staff coughing at hot desks and half the sales team off sick.
After: A stay-home policy, wiped and fogged shared surfaces, and ozone-treated meeting rooms.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: Do we need to stop work for office fogging? A: No. Fog after hours; areas are typically usable about 30 minutes later.

Q: Can meeting rooms with electronics be ozone-treated? A: Tell the team for an assessment first; no one may be inside, and ventilate afterwards.

Q: Does the fogging disinfectant work on flu? A: The team uses Chemgene HLD4H, which meets EN 14476 for virucidal activity according to the product page, and influenza is an enveloped virus that suitable disinfectants can inactivate. Fogging does not replace vaccination or handwashing.

Q: Can I enter the room right after ozone treatment? A: No one should be in the room during treatment. Ventilate afterwards before normal use; the team will advise the right time for the room size.

Q: Can a company get a tax invoice with 3% withholding? A: Yes. Tax invoices are issued and 3% withholding tax is supported. Call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Prevent Flu with Disinfection Fogging and Ozone Treatment

Iceland's advice is simple: stay home when sick, clean shared surfaces and ventilate. Reduce the risk with the World Health Disinfection disinfection service for workspaces, hot desks and pantries, and the ozone treatment service for meeting rooms and phone booths. To book, call 065-556-6294 or LINE @whd268.

Keywords: influenza, office, coworking space, office disinfection, meeting room ozone treatment

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