# 2163
THIS IS AN EXERCISE. IT IS NOT REAL.
After a weekend break, the Southeastern District Health Department of Idaho resumes their online pandemic exercise. Today we get a new video update, along with the first numbers of pandemic cases here in the United States, and in particularly in Idaho.
This web exercise has inspired scores of comments on this site, and many more are expected each day. It is well worth going back to previous day's and checking to see if new comments have been added.
Here is a very small snippet of today's scenario. Follow the link to read the rest.
July 21: Pandemic Flu confirmed in the U.S.
July 21, 2008THIS IS AN EXERCISE. IT IS NOT REAL.
The Center for Disease Control and Prevention has confirmed that the deadly influenza strain wreaking havoc in Asia and Europe has reached American shores. CDC staff confirms the first case of pandemic flu is a 45 year old man in Salt Lake City who recently returned from a business trip to Hong Kong. Federal officials have begun meeting to implement the national influenza response plan. Officials in southeast Idaho are preparing for the worst, reviewing pandemic flu plans and coordinating actions.
At 7:30am this morning, the pandemic flu strain was not confirmed in Southeast Idaho. SDHD officials are saying that, because of the close business and family relationships between citizens of southeast Idaho and Salt Lake, citizens should be aware of the possibility that our area will soon have the deadly flu strain. Additionally, businesses in southeastern Idaho routinely travel to southeast Asia, providing points of entry for the flu directly into southeast Idaho.
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Here is a mock news briefing about the scenario (5 minutes 39 seconds long):
The accompanying video gives a very good (albeit somber) overview of some of the cascade effects that a pandemic might cause. These include degradation of our military posture, international `blackmail' over antivirals and vaccines, and a serious blow to the economy.
