By Monica Chen

mchen@heraldsun.com; 419-6636

DURHAM -- Although the H1N1 virus has grabbed headlines both locally and nationally, small businesses in the area are approaching the epidemic differently, with some taking more precautions than others.

Manager Rachel Hayes of Little Gym in the Rockwood Shopping Center said there has been some anxiety among parents.

"We've had more kids call out sick," she said. "A lot of our parents are being very cautious about coming in if they feel they are getting sick or their kids are getting sick."

As a result, the gym, which offers classes for parents and children, hasn't seen any outbreaks.

The gym pays for flu vaccines for all employees, but Hayes said most of them had not gotten the H1N1 vaccine because of the lack of availability.

"All of our staff interacts closely with the kids that come here, so we are taking our own precautions with ourselves. We're making sure we're keeping our hands washed," Hayes said.

"It's more in the forefront of everybody's minds. We always sanitized and wipe down things with Lysol, but as far as being more aware of it, we've just been more diligent than anything else," she said.

Restaurants are also taking extra precautions to prevent the flu from spreading.

Robert Poitras, owner of Carolina Brewery, said they have installed hand sanitizers at the entrance for all customers and staff at both locations in Chapel Hill and Pittsboro. The restaurants had given all employees flu shots last week.

At Piedmont Restaurant in downtown, Manager Drew Brown said hygiene is always a priority, and the restaurant's rules would not change in flu season.

"I'm not sure if vaccination is really the solution to it. I feel like as long as my staff is taking care of themselves, that will help," he said.

Still, he added that it would be an issue if several employees were to get sick at once.

At Vaguely Reminiscent, a long-time boutique on Ninth Street, owner Carol Anderson took an informal poll of her employees and customers on Thursday.

"How many of you are worried about the H1N1 virus?" she yelled across the store.

The response was mostly one of a lack of concern, except for one customer who had taken her 16-year-old daughter to Kroger when they were doing $10 shots.

In speaking of her staff, Anderson was equally calm: "They have not expressed any concerns to me. If they did, I would certainly do something. But nobody has said anything."