State Department’s New Warning
# 236
In the most comprehensive, and starkest travel advisory to date, the US Department of State has outlined exactly what Americans living or traveling abroad can expect from their embassies should a pandemic erupt. This is a somber and realistic appraisal of the limitations of what our State Department could do during that sort of crisis.
After the confusion last month over a warning issued by the Hong Kong Consulate General’s Office, the Department of State has now apparently consolidated an avian flu advisory page for all consulates. It is located here:
Even if you don’t travel, or reside abroad, it would be good for all Americans to thoroughly read the new State Department travel advisories regarding avian influenza. The language is clear, and should leave no doubt in anyone’s mind that they take the H5N1 pandemic threat seriously.
While a bit long to reproduce here, I will cover some of the highlights.
First, in language remarkably devoid of diplo-speak, they state in the first paragraph of the advisory:
The Department of State emphasizes that, in the event of a pandemic, its ability to assist Americans traveling and residing abroad may be severely limited by restrictions on local and international movement imposed for public health reasons, either by foreign governments and/or the United States. Furthermore, American citizens should take note that the Department of State cannot provide Americans traveling or living abroad with medications or supplies even in the event of a pandemic.
Simply put, Americans, long used to being able to run to their embassies during a crisis, have been put on notice that should a pandemic erupt, they will be on their own.
It’s a fair warning, and one that needed to be issued. It would be impossible for any foreign embassy to guarantee emergency assistance during a pandemic. The logistics of even attempting to do so are mind-boggling. Before anyone screams that they are `taxpayers’, and `American Citizens’, and `By God, they have a right to expect the government to protect them’, please understand there are simply limits to what any agency could do in that situation.
If you choose to travel abroad, you do so at your own risk.
Reading further :
Prevention, Response and Treatment - Take Charge of Your Plans
A vaccine for humans that is effective in preventing infection with the avian influenza A (H5N1) virus is not yet available. Based upon limited data, the DHHS/CDC has suggested that the anti-viral medication Oseltamivir(brand name- Tamiflu) may be effective in treating avian influenza A. U.S. embassies and consulates do not have supplies of this drug for use by private American citizens abroad. The Department of State has pre-positioned supplies of the drug Tamiflu at its embassies and consulates worldwide, for eligible U.S. Government employees and their families serving abroad. Americans should also be aware of the potential health risk posed by counterfeit drugs, including those represented as Tamiflu, by scam artists who sell products on the internet or in countries with lax regulations governing the production and distribution of pharmaceuticals. For more information on counterfeit drugs please visit the Food and Drug Administrations (FDA) questions and answers for counterfeit drugs at LINK
In addition, the Department of State has asked its embassies and consulates to consider preparedness measures that take into consideration the fact that travel into or out of a country may not be possible, safe, or medically advisable during a pandemic. Guidance on how private citizens can prepare to shelter in place, including stocking food, water, and medical supplies, is available at the www.pandemicflu.gov website. Embassy stocks cannot be made available to private American citizens abroad and we encourage people living in an area with outbreaks of H5N1 to prepare appropriately.
It is also likely that governments will respond to a pandemic by imposing public health measures that restrict domestic and international movement, further limiting the U.S. government's ability to assist Americans in these countries. These measures can be implemented very quickly. Areas of known H5N1 outbreaks in poultry have been quarantined by governments within 24 hours, restricting (if not preventing) movement into and out of the affected area.
Americans who are planning travel to a country that has reported the virus or who are concerned about avian influenza are advised to monitor the DHHS/CDC and the WHO websites for the latest information.
Through a link on this page, to an article entitled: How to Prepare for “Sheltering-In-Place”. Americans living aboard are advised to stockpile food, water, and medicines so that they may cope with any pandemic outbreak.
American Citizens Abroad: Due to varying conditions overseas, Americans abroad should evaluate their situation and prepare emergency supplies accordingly (non-perishable food, potable water, medicines, etc.) for the possibility of sheltering-in-place for at least two and up to twelve weeks. Water purification techniques such as boiling, filtering and/or adding chlorine to locally available rainwater, swimming pools, lakes, rivers and wells may replace the need to store large quantities of water.
Despite a few fumbles along the way, most notably the Hong Kong warnings issued last month and then later retracted, the State Department has now produced a strongly worded, credible and reasonable warning to all Americans concerning the threat of pandemic influenza. For this they should be commended.
I highly reccomend that all of my readers follow the links and read the advisories in their entirety.
They are obviously taking the possibility of an outbreak of panflu seriously
As well they should.
