Employers are being urged to better protect their staff during the flu season by offering free vaccinations.

A Canberra conference on infectious disease in the workplace has been told the cost of providing flu shots for staff is cheap compared to the community costs of a flu outbreak.

The Commonwealth Bank will this week complete its voluntary immunisation program for 28,000 staff nationwide.

The bank's chief medical adviser, Dr Colin Johnston, says the corporation is also stockpiling drugs and supplies in case of a worldwide flu pandemic.

"It's purely a case of when, and the advantage of it is, by planning properly, we can also protect ourselves from other diseases which are lurking very close on the horizon," he said.

"Initially we did our planning to assist our organisation in Indonesia, and we now have well advanced in planning.

"I don't think it's unusual, but I think every corporation should be doing it."

© 2008 Australian Broadcasting Corporation

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