7.1 Billion for Bird Flu Epidemic

[OhMari]

Where is that money coming from. I just read President Bush has earmarked 7.1 Billion for research, vaccinations, mobile hospitals (if) there is an epidemic.

Should I be concerned? I know "Conversationist" had a post about this last week, but now the 7.1 Billion dollars Bush is putting towards this. I'm sorry, the amount of money is just staggering, I can't believe it isn't a typo.

 

[Christine]

Hey, I'm all for it.

I'm no great fan of this administration, but I'm glad they are doing something.

Right now I'm reading a book called "The Great American Flu" I think and it's about the 1918 influenza pandemic. Truly scary stuff (if not a bit on the dry side) but, clearly, knowledge and prevention and being "ready" to mobilize against it is worth the money.

 

[Tiggeroo]

it's necessary. If we don't invest in preventative and research we'll be in alot of trouble if this thing breaks.

 

[mickeysgal]

I didn't hear 7.1 but 6.something billion. Obviously the threat of this flu is real. This flu and it's potential is downright scary.

 

[questioner]

Reminds me of the Small Pox scare! No one talks about that anymore. Bird Flu is just a way for the media to get ratings and the industries that gave to Bush to get rich by huge spending programs.

Bush says everyone will get a shot. How can we get a shot to everyone in a short period of time when we do not even know what medicine will work?

 

[Christine]

Reminds me of the Small Pox scare! No one talks about that anymore. Bird Flu is just a way for the media to get ratings and the industries that gave to Bush to get rich by huge spending programs.

Bush says everyone will get a shot. How can we get a shot to everyone in a short period of time when we do not even know what medicine will work?

Yep, there is probably some of that going on.

And, also, if he is "promising a shot" to people than that is just wrong, wrong, wrong. Hopefully he didn't really say that! Everyone knows that you cannot develop a flu vaccine until the actual type develops. One the flu develops, then they have to isolate it and figure out if the vaccine will work, then they have to go into production. So, it could be at least 6 months to a year after the avian flu "breaks" before we could see a shot.

What they need to spend the money on is: watching for it and then total isolation/quarantine of cases like they did when they eradicated small pox many, many years ago.

 

[OhMari]

I didn't hear 7.1 but 6.something billion. Obviously the threat of this flu is real. This flu and it's potential is downright scary.

It just got posted on CNN.com.

 

[Kimberly]

There currently is no known treatment for this illness.Yes, there is a chance that people could be overracting from this bird flu, and there is a chance the virus doesn't even mutate. But if it does (which viruses do VERY often) this can trigger a castostrophic pandemic. It's worth the investment...

 

[Geoff_M]

For an illness that you can flip a coin to see if you live if you contract it, I'm not getting too bent out of shape about the preventitive spending. If this thing can mutate into a human transmitable form, like many fear it will... look out, it's 1918 all over again.

 

[DawnCt1]

Reminds me of the Small Pox scare! No one talks about that anymore. Bird Flu is just a way for the media to get ratings and the industries that gave to Bush to get rich by huge spending programs.

Bush says everyone will get a shot. How can we get a shot to everyone in a short period of time when we do not even know what medicine will work?

I wish you were right but DH feels the threat is very real. He is an ID specialist with a particular interest in influenza. With regard to the Small Pox scare; many individuals were immunized during the time of concern, DH included. The goal isn't to immunize everyone in that scenario but to immunize those who would come into first contact with infected individuals. Just because it hasn't developed doesn't mean that it isn't a likely concern for bio terrorism.

Pandemics begin "somewhere" and quickly spread "elsewhere". The goal will be to limit travel to and from that "somewhere", and immunize. Immunizing first geographically and by age and risk and spreading out from there.

 

[DawnCt1]

What they need to spend the money on is: watching for it and then total isolation/quarantine of cases like they did when they eradicated small pox many, many years ago.

Small pox wasn't irradicated by just isolation and quarantine but an aggressive immunization program. Without an aggressive immunization program that extended into the third world, small pox would still be a ravaging illness. Right now they are developing vaccine for H5N1 for 20 million doses. While the recipe may not be exactly right for a mutated version, usually there is enough attinuation between strains of the virus to provide some immunity; it may not totally prevent disease but it could lessen the severity.

 

[tobias sampson]

I'm not a big fan in immunizing for every little thing, but as Geoff M stated, this could become a disease like none other in our current memories. Look at the spending for Aids, or breast cancer and the chances we have of contracting those diseases and dying from them. I would much rather see taking a good shot at prevention than dealing only with treatment etc.

 

[luvwinnie]

There currently is no known treatment for this illness.Yes, there is a chance that people could be overracting from this bird flu, and there is a chance the virus doesn't even mutate. But if it does (which viruses do VERY often) this can trigger a castostrophic pandemic. It's worth the investment...

Exactly

 

[momof2inPA]

Does anyone think this is just a distraction to make us forget that the oil companies just declared record profits and that our gas bills will be ridiculous this year? After all, the bird flu was around last year. Why all the attention, now?

I'm much more concerned about gas prices than a bird flu outbreak.

 

[luvwinnie]

Does anyone think this is just a distraction to make us forget that the oil companies just declared record profits and that our gas bills will be ridiculous this year? After all, the bird flu was around last year. Why all the attention, now?

I'm much more concerned about gas prices than a bird flu outbreak.

I assume because it's spreading quickly around the world now.

 

[tobias sampson]

Maybe. On the other hand, we saw what happened last year with SARS. Just like the Katrina damage, we tend to think nothing devestating could happen here. If this hit as projected, Katrina would look like a walk in the park.

As for gas prices, we are just now beginning to pay what many other countries have alsways dealt with. We were merely spoiled up until now. It is time to just suck it up, as they say.

 

[Christine]

I assume because it's spreading quickly around the world now.

I don't think it is spreading all over the world. So far, there is no transmission between humans. People are picking this stuff up from their chickens in areas where farming standards are not healthy. Yes, there are cases popping up, but they are not "spreading". The "spreading" is occurring between chicken farms.

 

[Christine]

As for gas prices, we are just now beginning to pay what many other countries have alsways dealt with. We were merely spoiled up until now. It is time to just suck it up, as they say.

You know, I feel like a broken record but I gotta keep refuting this.

We are not spoiled. Our country just chooses not to tax the "heck" out of gasoline. The U.S. was not getting any special deal on gasoline that other countries were not, our taxes were just not as high. The other countries' governments chose to tax their gasoline for various reasons and revenues. We choose not to.

I could understand "sucking it up" if the U.S. Government said "okay, we are going tax every gallon of gas by $2.00 so that we can pay for improved mass transit and health care." But that's not what is happening. Everyone, including Europeans, is getting a higher charge for gasoline. We won't catch up to them unless their government lowers taxes. It's just an apples and oranges comparison.

 

[luvwinnie]

I don't think it is spreading all over the world. So far, there is no transmission between humans. People are picking this stuff up from their chickens in areas where farming standards are not healthy. Yes, there are cases popping up, but they are not "spreading". The "spreading" is occurring between chicken farms.

Yes, I know. I didn't mean among humans.

 

[tobias sampson]

Christine, I see your point, but the results are the same regardless of the causes. High prices are irritating, and a fact of life. So I still think there is some "sucking it up" to be done. It is merely my opinion.