What If Swine Flu Strikes Congress (Again)?

Sept. 9, 2009— -- Fall marks both the start of Congress and the beginning of flu season. With Congress set to work on health care reform, the potential health crisis of the H1N1 swine flu also looms.

But with health care and swine flu as the leading health stories of the day, Congress has made some preparations for the possibility that one might impact the other, establishing policy for if and when members fall ill.

"A member who contracts H1N1 should stay home and practice the same social distancing as anyone else," according to Jim Manley, the senior communications adviser for Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid. "Offices are being given the same information as members of the public."

The guidelines hold even in the face of an important vote. Should a congressman be ill on the day of a crucial vote, "They miss the vote," said Manley.

Dr. William Schaffner, chairman of the department of preventive medicine at Vanderbilt, said those guidelines are the sensible ones.

"If you're out and about among people, even if you have a mask on, you place others at risk," he said.

An outbreak of swine flu, unless it proves to be a particularly partisan strain, is unlikely to sink health care reform, given the Democratic majorities in both Houses.

But while senators and representatives may receive the best health care, that hasn't kept its members -- or their families -- safe from past epidemics.

The Senate Historical Office recently prepared a document on how past epidemics of influenza have affected lawmakers. Overall, the epidemics have not had a great impact on Congress, "Other than in the early days appropriating funds to help with the flight against the flu," said Betty K. Koed, associate historian for the U.S. Senate Historical Office.

"Congress has never adjourned early or something like that," she said. "In other cases, the epidemic reached its peak when Congress was out of session, so it was a moot point."