Bird flu plan calls for airport screening (HI wants to test air travelers)

[Lori Price CLG]

Bird flu plan calls for airport screening

As nations prepare for a possible avian flu virus pandemic, state and federal health officials are working on a proposal to screen travelers who arrive at Honolulu Airport with influenza-like illness.

The state Health Department began developing the proposal a few months ago with the federal quarantine office at the airport, said Dr. Paul Effler, state epidemiologist.

"I think we're ahead of the curve and other jurisdictions, just because we're cognizant that our air travel is potentially a risk," Effler said.

<snip>

Lori Price

[Warpy]

1. Nice, but people will be infective when they

only have a few generalized aches, nothing specific, and nothing the authorities can pick up in a casual screening at an airport.

Our only real hope for this one is by developing a vaccine and by stockpiling antiviral drugs to ease the symptoms of the folks who contract it.

The right wing government thinks actual life is cheap and that all working people are utterly expendable. We won't be protected. The rest of the world likely will be.

Been nice knowing you all.

[Lori Price CLG]

2. "Our only real hope for this one is by developing a vaccine." -Nope, as...

I don't trust the pharma-terrorists with their mercury-laden, untested, deadly 'vaccines,' which are subsidized by our tax dollars.

I may trust a vaccine developed in a country where the government actually cares about its people, such as Venezuela or Cuba, etc.. Any vaccine approved by the U.S. FDA trolls is risky, to say the least.

Lori

[MuseRider]

6. It makes me think

of the Swine Flu. I don't remember the specifics but wasn't that vaccine developed rather quickly in respone to the swine flu? I got the vaccine since I worked for the city at the time, I had to take it. What a mess that turned out to be.

[mahina]

3. Good!

About time!
Now to see if it really happens...our publi health system is not the strongest, we even closed the school of public health at UH. Supposed to be a new -something- to replace it at the new medical school but this kind of focus is what we need to remind the sleeping regents that public health has a purpose.

[Massachusetts]

4. "Bird flu plan calls for airport screening"

Tuesday, May 24, 2005
New York City (almost) gets it

It's nice to see somebody in authority in public health gets it, even if it's a local health department, in this case New York City's.

Infectious-disease experts at the Health Department have been meeting every two weeks to prepare a strategy for protecting the city against diseases such as the Asian bird flu, or H5N1, which many scientists believe is just one crucial mutation away from turning into a monster malady.

The written blueprint, which officials expect to complete before the next flu season starts in late fall, spells out how the agency will tackle potentially controversial measures.

The issues addressed include how to handle quarantines, test virus samples for new strains, cope with overcrowded hospitals and ration lifesaving vaccines and other treatments. (NY Daily News)

http://effectmeasure.blogspot.com/

[BigBearJohn]

5. I visit Thailand each year; I wonder if I should cancel my trip? Opinions?