H1N1 pandemic planning is doing more to further the push for getting work done outside the office than anything since, possibly, the invention of the briefcase.

According to the CDC, during this flu outbreak, up to 40% of the workforce could be expected to not be able to come to work.

As a result, most federal entities are turning to telework as a viable part of Continuity of Operations planning.

But concerns about teleworking during a pandemic were raised by the GAO, saying a pandemic could result in a massive spike in Internet traffic.

“Increased use of the Internet by students, teleworkers, and others during a severe pandemic is expected to create congestion in Internet access networks that serve metropolitan and other residential neighborhoods,” said the report.

ComputerWorld reports Virginia’s Arlington County government has been planning for the pandemic, and the possibility of a rush for bandwidth, for close to a year.

CIO of the county, David Jordan, has already arranged with “Verizon to ensure it gets double its normal network bandwidth capacity to support an expanded remote workforce,” reports the magazine.

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