Severity
The Court was rightly concerned with the severity of the disease. This would be judged as a function of the morbidity of the disease, the duration of the disease, and whether the disease has permanent sequelae. It is important to note when the characteristics of the organism and the patient can increase the severity of the disease. Diseases such as influenza are mildly incapacitating in healthy workers but could be dangerous to the residents of a nursing home.