Why would they have stocked up when it is government releasing the stuff?
"Mass. has yet to buy drugs for epidemic; Report assails failure to stockpile defenses for global flu threat" by Stephen Smith Boston Globe December 19, 2007
Massachusetts is one of just seven states that have not bought a single dose of drugs to combat a global influenza epidemic, according to a report released yesterday that examined the nation's disaster preparedness.
In its annual report card, the Trust for America's Health, a nonprofit health advocacy group, said that Massachusetts fulfilled seven of 10 emergency planning goals, including increased public health funding, enlistment of volunteers to respond during a crisis, and the holding of drills with the National Guard.
But the trust criticized the state for not stockpiling medication and failing to ensure that its state laboratory has enough capacity to test for dangerous germs during health emergencies.
Jeff Levi, the trust's executive director:
"Containment of a pandemic must be a national priority. Any differences in state-by-state preparedness put the whole nation at risk."
Nearly two years ago, Governor Mitt Romney proposed spending $36.5 million to stockpile breathing machines, hospital beds, and flu medication, but the Legislature never allocated that money. On the best days, Massachusetts hospitals have barely enough beds and ventilators to handle the regular patient load, and they would be staggered by an onslaught of wheezing, feverish flu patients in an epidemic, state officials acknowledge.
But, but, but... Mitt said his universal health care was the solution?
The state will ultimately purchase flu medications, there is no agreement on how many doses of drugs such as Tamiflu and Relenza will be stashed away. The medical community is still debating the effectiveness of the drugs and whether it is sound to invest in medications with a five- to seven-year shelf life.
But $$$$$$$ has shelf-life!
All states, even those without their own stockpiles, would receive medication from a national reserve in the case of a global flu epidemic, called a pandemic. With a population of more than 6.4 million, Massachusetts would be expected to get about 1 million doses from the US government.
I'll skip mine, thanks! Always have!
Dr. Alan Woodward, a past president of the Massachusetts Medical Society who serves on state panels planning for emergencies:
"[After severe acute respiratory syndrome, or SARS, struck in 2003], we really recognized our greatest threat was an infectious disease pandemic. [A pandemic is] a much greater potential threat to our population as a whole than a natural disaster or a local bioterrorist attack. Obviously, we're not nearly as prepared as we should be."
Yeah, this problem now WORSE than environment and terrorists?
Wait a minute, I can only handle so many FALSE, AGENDA-PUSHING CRISES.
Gimme a, cough, minute, will, cough, cough, you?
