Avian Flu Diary: HHS Releases Report Card On States Preparedness For A Pandemic

# 2664

Three years after first sounding the alarm about the need to prepare for a pandemic, the report card issued by the HHS today indicates that the state levels of preparedness have improved, but still have a long way to go.

Maggie Fox, of Reuters, brings us an overview of the report, along with comments by Dr. William Raub (science advisor to Secretary of HHS Leavitt) and Dr. Michael Osterholm, director of CIDRAP.

First, an excerpt from the Reuter's Report, followed by links to read, or download, the report card.

Report shows U.S. only half ready for flu pandemic

Thu Jan 15, 2009 2:43pm EST

By Maggie Fox, Health and Science Editor
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - U.S. states have made progress in stockpiling drugs and preparing to vaccinate people in case of a flu pandemic but are far behind in plans for the ensuing months of disruption, the government said on Thursday.

The report from the U.S. Health and Human Services department showed most states responsible for maintaining food supply in an emergency were ready, but transportation plans had a long way to go. Experts said the economic crisis would only make things worse.

"It's mixed. I see the glass half full in the sense that the important issues are being addressed seriously by serious people," William Raub, who has been helping organize pandemic preparedness for HHS, told Reuters.

Most health experts agree that a pandemic of something, probably influenza, is inevitable and the U.S. government has been pushing states to develop preparedness plans.

No one can say when or what disease will strike, but the No. 1 suspect now is H5N1 avian influenza, or bird flu, which has infected 394 people and killed 248 of them since 2003.

(Continue . . . )