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Unlike some businesses, Officepro has survived the recession, as its federal agency clients continue to spend and more people brush up on their work skills. The Gaithersburg technology training business even added a part-time employee this year to boost its employment count to six full-time and two part-time workers.

But a foe that could pose an even stiffer challenge to such businesses than the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression has reared its viral head: The H1N1 flu has caused 508 hospitalizations and 13 deaths in Maryland as of Nov. 4, according to state figures.

However, despite the relative shortage of vaccines, many businesses in the state apparently have immunity to the virus. Employers report few workers staying home to care for themselves or sick relatives.

"We've been fortunate," said Judy Stephenson, president of Officepro, which offers training on popular end-user applications and high-end technical programs, as well as classes that combine business concepts and technical training.

But the pandemic flu is an x-factor, especially for small businesses, where just one sick employee can significantly affect operations.

"I'm worried about our instructors, who travel all over the place, running into the flu," said Stephenson, who was honored Wednesday as the Small Business Leader of the Year during the Montgomery County Chamber of Commerce's 2009 Business Awards dinner. "We are trying to do more this year to encourage employees to follow basic precautions."

Employers throughout the state are following suit, putting up more hand sanitizer dispensers and taking other measures. At 300-employee Lanham communications company Vocus, executives encourage employees to stay home if they're not feeling well, spokesman Frank Strong said.

"You're not a superhero," Strong emphasized.

For businesses that attract large crowds, the response to H1N1 has been even more intense, despite the lack of sickness among employees.

The Gaylord National Resort and Convention Center in Oxon Hill, whose workers have thus far eluded the virus, installed 20 motion-sensitive sanitizer dispensers throughout its facilities. That includes at the top and bottom of escalators and elevators, which are often germ hot spots, said spokeswoman Amie Gorrell. Each sanitizer station is displayed with a sign that reads "Healthy Hands Start Here."

Hotel workers also regularly wipe down main entrance door handles, light switches, escalator handrails and elevator buttons, along with employee phones and computer keyboards, Gorrell said. The procedures are part of the enhanced regimen the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends for highly traveled areas such as hotels, malls and airports, she said.

"We're not expecting anything, but we're taking the precautions any large venues should," Gorrell said.

Nearby restaurant McCormick & Schmick's is doing the same, having the extra advantage of being able to provide diners with their own freshly printed menu, since the restaurant prints its own, said general manager Chipp Lewis.

The restaurant has also tried to accommodate employees who feel ill, though no H1N1 cases have been reported, he said. "We like to think we're doing our part," Lewis said.

Another large Maryland employer, grocer Giant Food in Landover, is also being vigilant but didn't report any widespread absences.

"We are communicating frequently with our associates about H1N1 influenza concerns, encouraging increased hand washing and sanitation, providing more hand-cleanser products throughout our stores, offices and distribution centers," spokesman Jamie Miller said in a statement.

Some report sicknesses

While the number of employees at Frederick Memorial Hospital who have reported flu-like symptoms has decreased, eight employees have called in sick with flu-like symptoms in the last week, spokeswoman Amanda Changuris said.

Seventeen employees have called in to take care of sick children since mid-September, she said. The hospital is not testing employees who report flu-like symptoms unless they are admitted to the hospital, Changuris said.

If an employee is home sick with the flu, it does not count as an occurrence in the hospital's Absence Control Program, she said. "We don't want someone who is legitimately sick to have to worry about any effect on their status as an employee," Changuris said.

The hospital "has hand sanitizers around every corner" and is following its standard procedure as it relates to hand-washing, she said. There are more signs to remind visitors to cough into their sleeves, discard tissues immediately after use and wash their hands, Changuris said.

The H1N1 virus inconvenienced the Greater Bowie Chamber of Commerce when one of its fashion show recruiters came down with H1N1 and was out for a week, said Jan Butler, executive director. That required five other people to pick up the slack, she said.

While Butler has heard of member businesses having infected workers, she hasn't seen a significant impairment of day-to-day operations. The main changes have been in the way businesspeople interact, Butler said. Some are opting out of the hugs and handshakes they would normally exchange at meetings. Butler herself is "mega-dosing on vitamin C."

The only brush with the virus at 60-employee Lanham commercial developer NAI Michael was an employee's sick grandchild, who recovered quickly, office manager Dana Travaglini said.

"We've been lucky," said Travaglini, who said she was applying hand sanitizer as she spoke on the phone.

Getting vaccinated

More employees at Lanham events company Hargrove have responded to the H1N1 threat by immunizing themselves against the seasonal strain through the company's annual flu vaccine clinic, although medical experts say the seasonal vaccine offers no protection against H1N1. About half of Hargrove's 200 employees received the seasonal vaccine this year, compared with only 30 percent last year, said company spokeswoman Lana Ostrander.

The company, which manages celebrations ranging from presidential inaugurations to Fortune 500 company gatherings, has also set up sanitizer pump stations around the office. "We sent out instructions to employees about the general signs to watch out for when they're getting sick," Ostrander said.

Hand sanitizer has become as ubiquitous as coffee mugs in many offices around the state.

"We do now have hand sanitation stations by each of our office doors, and we provided free flu shots to our staff and subsidized the same for their families," said Thomas Loveland, CEO of Mind Over Machines, a 75-employee Web applications company in Owings Mills.

The Frederick County Chamber of Commerce has been working with CorpOHS, which has locations in Frederick and Westminster, to arrange for flu shots and create prevention guidelines that work for the chamber, president and CEO M. Richard Adams said in an e-mail. Chamber employees are generally required to stay home if they feel sick, and it is recommended that members do not attend chamber events if they feel ill.

"Over the past year, we've converted to a new customer relationship management database and started keeping in-office calendars online, so chamber staff members have options for remote access and the possibility of doing some essential work from home if necessary," Adams said.

Safety procedures are "critical components" of restaurants and hotels to prevent the spread of illnesses such as influenza, said James N. Plamondon, co-president of The Plamondon Cos. in Frederick. The company owns 18 Roy Rogers restaurants in Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia and oversees 33 franchise locations in other states.

Plamondon Cos. also owns and operates all three Marriott-brand hotels in Frederick, and Marriott has laid out "very strict guidelines," Plamondon said, which his hotels are following "to the letter."

Plamondon, who is also chairman of the Restaurant Association of Maryland, said he and fellow members have been diligent about circulating written materials, including frequently asked questions about swine flu. "The National Restaurant Association has been very proactive, and we have shared that information with our members," he said.

The installation of glass cases and marble countertops has helped prevent the spread of germs at The Candy Kitchen in downtown Frederick, according to employee Gail Marie Denny.

The marble is nonabsorbent, which makes for easy cleanup of spills, Denny said. She noted that she and her employees always make a point to wipe down their telephones with sanitizing wipes, too.

"We always wear gloves and use hand sanitizer and have always encouraged the washing of hands," she said.