Is the U.S. bird flu plan a plan or should we just salute those who are about it die?

Question

In a Feb. 1 AP story by Mike Stobbe, carried on Yahoo news, U.S. Health and Human Services announced "plans" for fighting the bird flu. Do you think this is a plan or another "Katrina" response?

The "plan" gives vacine producing companies lawsuit protection. So far only 22 million shots (which may not work) will be available for 300 million people. As the bird flu progresses they will cut back on school attendance and other public gatherings.

This story also indicates that a workable vaccine will probably not be produced until months into an epidemic. Is this a plan that is acceptable to your Congressman?

This looks more like keeping up business as usual; while cutting back in stages for what the military might call acceptable losses. I don't call this a plan, would you?

Answer 1

Well, we make plans because you have to prepare for a pandemic before it hits - not while you’re in the middle of it. We’ve had at least three pandemics each century for the last 800 years. Pandemics happen.

It is very contagious. Right now many people who have contracted H5N1 avian influenza have gotten it from birds, but there has been human-to-human transmission. Scientists say it is making the changes needed to cause human-to-human transmission more easily – that would make it very likely to cause a pandemic in the near future.

The plan announced a few days ago has some huge gaps. It should really have a large public education component.

Closing schools will help because kids spread any kind of respiratory bug, but that alone won’t stop the spread. Closing theaters, churches, and other large gatherings will help too, but anywhere that people interact the virus will spread.

It would be a good idea to have nonperishable food and water so that families can protect themselves by staying home during the waves of infection which might each last up to 12 weeks.

The plan states that the worst-case scenario fatality rate would be about 2%. Right now it is well over 60%. That would not necessarily have to decrease to spread more easily from person to person.

Part of the problem with the medication that we have (approx 22 million antiviral courses – not vaccine but meds to take once someone has the flu) is that many countries have ordered it and they can only make it so fast.

Another problem with the medication is that one of the strains of H5N1 avian flu has become resistant to Tamiflu (the antiviral.) So we’re not sure if it will work.

We won’t have vaccine for about 6-9 months after the virus mutates to become easily passed from person to person. Scientists need the actual virus to make the vaccine, and they won’t have that until it mutates.

News of the virus turning up in the U.K. in turkeys just reinforces that this virus is dangerous and a worldwide problem.

Answer 2

can i upload while issues flow incorrect, e.g. a organic catastrophe and human beings get killed. The reaction is to help the folk, of-direction. yet actual an inquiry is held to confirm why it befell. whether that is located because of the fact fo negligence and ignore then the folk to blame are taken to court docket. that's the comparable with God. God has set existence to artwork specifically way, that is His plan. If we live via His plan, that is stressful for the guy on the time yet interior the long-term it helps everybody out. Accepting suffering for this reason will become area of God's plan in a less than excellent worldwide. basically announcing i won't be able to enable this to harm me, does not help as many human beings can testify. Accepting it has befell looks to help as we settle for God's plan for our lives

Answer 3

Why fight something that isn't there? This is more a 'third world" problem, not a U.S. problem. It comes from handling diseased birds, it isn't contagious.

Answer 4

Tommy you are my best friend in my school.
come on lets go in break

Answer 5

People are so blind WAKE UP WORLD ITS COMING THIS IS NOT A MOVIE.......................