How Safe Are We With the Current Pandemic Influenza Plan?
Not satisfied with seeing terrorists in human beings, President George W Bush found yet another reason for Americans to go to bed terrified - the bird flu. In 2005, a grand pandemic influenza plan was revealed, principally aimed at when bird flu was supposed to infiltrate our sacred shores. In 2005, Bush said he was prepared to spend $7.1 billion (US) of taxpayers' money as part of a comprehensive pandemic influenza preparedness plan. God only knows what the price tag actually is.
Just How Bad Is Bird Flu?
Bird flu has been over hyped as everything from the Andromeda Strain to the next bubonic plague. It has killed millions of birds - and about 100 people WORLDWIDE since 2003. That means that all of the fuss, all of the national and state pandemic influenza plans, all of the money spent was all for nothing. This writer, for one, would like to get her part of the bill back.
Besides, no one knows just what will happen during a pandemic. We think we have an idea of when any kind of emergency happens, and then when it does, it always winds up being not quite what we expected. We have only to look at the complete muddle and confusion after hurricane Katrina to know that no one in the government knows what they are doing when it comes to an emergency. So, the current pandemic influenza plan is not only useless, but unnecessary.
But you are far more likely to become a victim of a natural disaster like a flood or a hurricane than you ever will be of the bird flu. A disease that only kills a few people a year is NOT something that we should worry about when we are puffing on our cigarettes, swilling back our beer, chomping on our steaks and watching NASCAR.
Does Anyone Have A Receipt?
There are, of course, far more contagious diseases out there than the bird flu, which was why there is a pandemic influenza plan. It is part of your national, state or local emergency plan which can cover anything from a natural disaster to a terrorist attack. If you want a good laugh (and you paid for it, so you might as well laugh as you can), go to the PandemicFlu.gov website to find out the pandemic influenza plan in your area. You will find that there are no plans actually listed on the site whatsoever.
