GAO: INFLUENZA PANDEMIC: Challenges Remain in Preparedness

[pandemic_1918]

http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d05760t.pdf

GAO INFLUENZA PANDEMIC: Challenges Remain in Preparedness

<snip>

While public health officials have undertaken several initiatives to enhance influenza surveillance capabilities, challenges remain with regard to other aspects of preparedness for and response to an influenza pandemic. In particular, HHS has not finalized planning for an influenza pandemic. In 2000, we recommended that HHS complete the national plan for responding to an influenza pandemic, but the plan has been in draft format since August 2004. Absent a completed federal plan, key questions about the federal role in the purchase, distribution, and administration of vaccines and antiviral drugs during a pandemic remain unanswered. Other challenges with regard to preparedness for and response to an influenza pandemic exist across the public and private sectors, including challenges in ensuring an adequate and timely influenza vaccine and antiviral supply; addressing regulatory, privacy, and procedural issues surrounding measures to control the spread of disease, for example, across national borders; and resolving issues related to an insufficient hospital and health workforce capacity for responding to a large-scale outbreak such as an influenza pandemic.

To be prepared for major public health threats such as an influenza pandemic, public health agencies need several basic capabilities, including disease surveillance systems. Specifically, to detect cases of pandemic influenza, especially before they develop into widespread outbreaks, local, state, and federal public health officials as well as international organizations collect, analyze, and share information related to cases of the disease. When effective, surveillance can facilitate timely action to control outbreaks and promote informed allocation of resources to meet changing disease conditions.

Background

Influenza Influenza is more severe than some other viral respiratory infections, such as the common cold.......

[sam sarrha]

1. when this shit hits.. there will be no food water or electricity, all will

be sick.. the truckers will be sick or dead.. the guys that run the water system will be sick or dead, the power plants will be down, all sick or dead.. and when it is all over.. most of anyone who knew how to do anything will be dead.. so far this has an 79 to 89% fatality rate for those that got help.

all because there is No money in vaccines

we have no vaccine factories in the USA, and our contractors in foreign countries are not going to send it to us they will keep for their own people.. :grouphug:

[Warpy]

2. Well, since they no longer need us to work for their corproations

I suppose they think a big die off due to influenza is a great idea, then they can grab it ALL.

Just think, no unemployment, no tacky old folks demanding their social security checks, no more need for guards on the compound grounds, a truly perfect world.

(yes, I'm a sarcastic old bitch, but I think there's some truth in it)