Customer sneezes, coughs into a hand and pays for his purchase. Cashier takes money, completes transaction and turns to the next task. Over the course of the next few days, staff member calls in sick with H1N1.

Health officials say, yes: It is that easy to get and spread the flu this season.

"The flu is not a cold," said Charlie Fautin, deputy director of the Benton County Health Department. "It definitely is a serious illness."

In this stressed economy, that can add up to big problems for small businesses already running on lean staff.

"Anything that threatens, especially in the winter during holiday shopping season, could really be catastrophic to these businesses," Fautin said. "We are really aware of the pressures the small businesses are under in these economic times."

The Health Department has given presentations for downtown Corvallis merchants and the Corvallis-Benton Chamber Coalition on flu prevention and working through flu season.

"A lot of businesses in Benton County are taking this seriously," Fautin said. "And they should."

Health officials are predicting as much as 40 percent of the American population may contract H1N1 in the next two years. That is twice the number of people who normally catch the flu.

Health officials said an active plan to fight the flu and for coping with sick employees can make all the difference.

When it comes to the flu this season, "we are just going to assume we have it on our hands," said Nick Arzner, owner of Block 15 in Corvallis.

With the latest threat of H1N1, also known as swine flu, Arzner is ensuring that his employees are taking an even more active approach with frequent hand washing and wiping down restaurant surfaces.

Block 15 employees are armed with knowledge. Arzner invited the Health Department to the restaurant to inform his staff about the flu. He also wants only healthy people at work. In preparation, Arzner increased staff and told his employees to stay home when they're sick.

At Curtis Clark's dental office in Corvallis, not only are staff members told to stay home, patients are asked to not come in if they have any symptoms.

Clark employees nine people. If one or two are sick, schedules can be adjusted. Temporary dental hygienists also can be called in. But for the most part Clark is trying to keep everyone healthy and said everyone will get vaccinated.

Medical offices already have universal precautions in place, which include gloves, masks and eye guards.

On top of those precautions, Clark asks staff to leave scrubs at the office and sends people home if they sniffle.

"We are talking to our patients more about (their health)," Clark said. "Basically we treat everybody as if they have the most dreaded disease."

Clark also has concerns for his family during this flu seasons: With four children in school and people coughing and sneezing in church, the possibilities for infection are numerous. He urges everyone to stay home if they feel under the weather.

What can you do when you operate a business with independent contractors? Peter Sekermestrovich, principal broker/owner at Town & Country Realty, said he made sure swine flu information was available in his offices and provided access to immunizations.

"Our people are pretty adept and in-tune with what's going on in the media and everything else," Sekermestrovich said.

Fautin said real estate agents might want to take additional precautions as they tend to often be in close quarters driving with clients.

"The potential for this to spread is huge," said Frank Moore, administrator at Linn County Department of Health Services.

Educate yourself, stay well

Taking care of herself and her family is about as much as Kaari Sommer, owner of Kaari K in Albany, can hope for. Sommer has an infant and juggles being a wife and new mother with operating her clothing store. She doesn't have time to get the flu and said she needs everyone around her to stay healthy.

She will insist her family members get the flu shot, when it becomes available. As for employees, they are college students and Sommer hopes the word on campus encourages them to get immunized.

Not everyone is taking unusual precautions this season, however. Sherry Spear, owner of Spearit Beads and Co. in Albany, said she will take the normal precautions that come with preparing for the flu every year; she said she thought H1N1 has been overhyped in the media.

Spear and her partner run the bead store with one employee. She said if one was sick the other would fill in. If both were sick with H1N1, she said, she would "work it out."

Tim Siddiqui, owner of Ciddici's Pizza in Albany said, with a chuckle, if everyone at the restaurant became ill, he would be able to close and take a week off and head for a warmer climate.

Seriously, Siddiqui has posted information for employees about flu symptoms and what to watch for.

"Hand cleaning always has been a part of our operating system," Siddiqui said.

Overall, business owners said they are prepared and won't let the flu season get them down.

"We will keep on enjoying life and arm ourselves," said Arzner at Block 15.