Bush Expected To Approve National Bird Flu Plan

[AGENDA21]

WASHINGTON -- President Bush is expected to approve soon a national pandemic influenza-response plan that identifies more than 300 specific tasks for federal agencies, from determining which front-line workers should be the first vaccinated to expanding Internet capacity to handle a flood of people working from home computers.

The Treasury Department is poised to sign agreements with other nations to produce currency if US mints cannot operate. The Pentagon, anticipating difficulties in acquiring supplies from the Far East, is considering whether to stockpile millions of latex gloves. And the Department of Veterans Affairs has developed a drive-through medical exam to quickly assess patients who suspect they have been infected.

The document is the first attempt to spell out in some detail how the government would detect and respond to an outbreak and continue functioning through what could be an 18-month crisis, which in a worst-case outcome could kill 1.9 million Americans.

Bush was briefed on a draft of the implementation plan on March 17, and he is expected to approve it within the week, but it continues to evolve, said several administration officials who have been working on it. White House officials offered a briefing on the near-final version of its 240-page plan.

http://www.boston.com/news/nation/articles/2006/04/16/us_readying_response_to_flu_outbreak/

[laureloak]

1. OMG, he's gonna bomb the Canary Islands! n/t

[pitohui]

2. what a boondoggle

follow the $$$ straight to donald rumsfeld's pocket

if you're worried about death and destruction, suggest you repair some freakin levees instead of buying a bunch of latex gloves which will quickly be worthless after being stored in some overheated location

bird flu, the new swine flu to keep the stupid people from paying attention from what they really have to worry about

just another swindle to drain the budget w.out actually doing one good thing to help anyone, because that would be communistic

we could have actual helpful infrastructure rebuilding, health care services, and more if we spent the money buying real things and preparing for real needs instead of for a mutation that is already scientifically nearly impossible to occur, they are deliberately misdirecting our $$$ for worthless and useless purposes

[tanyev]

3. Tuna and powdered milk producers are rubbing their hands in glee!

[Yoda Yada]

4. Ummmm...it still can't be passed from human to human.

..and IF it ever gets to that point, the strain WEAKENS when it mutates.:crazy: :crazy: :crazy:

The Bush plan mentions stockpiling latex gloves, and developing a drive-through medical exam program ....ummm...
does he mention anywhere in the plan stockpiling TAMIFLU...Rumsfeld's "pharmaceutical love-child"?
(My guess is that it will NOT be mentioned....but WILL be a MAJOR component of Bush's plan.)

Well INSTEAD, why not work on a health plan for ALL Americans, George?

1) Bird flu cannot be passed human to human.

2) The virus WEAKENS if it mutates.

3) We now have antibotics available in our hospitals, that they did NOT have during the previous pandemic.

You are trying to "fool us" again, George. :mad: :mad: :mad:

[Donkeykick]

7. It's Okay!

:sarcasm: He is just trying to take our minds off of other things--you know.;) ;) :eyes:

[Mojorabbit]

9. I respectfully disagree

there has been limited human to human. The definition of a pandemic is that it is easily passed human to human. We are not there yet. If it does happen we are in big trouble. Right now it is percolating at a low level in Egypt, Indonesia, Cambodia, and probably India and Africa and still not human to human which could change or not, no one knows.

The study of how viruses are passed and how they develop is still in it's infancy. Even if it does weaken it could be horrific. Right now it is at about 56 percent fatal. If it weakened to 30 percent fatal it would be devestating.

Most people dying are dying of viral pneumonia and antibiotics are useless for that.

That being said,no one knows if it will happen or not. Any plans they make will go out the window in the first week. They should be stressing citizens to do their own preparation and be beefing up the public health infrastructure but they won't.

[linazelle]

5. Straw man nt

[sandrakae]

6. Why is he always a day late and a dollar short?

[unhappycamper]

8. The Plan in picture format: