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.