November 1 Flu Update--The President has a Plan
Here's the text of President Bush's address.Here's a fact sheet from the White House.
The US government also now has a special website set up for bird flu monitoring.
Here's the link to the .pdf of the entire US pandemic plan.
Julie Gerberding (CDC) held a White House chat on the bird flu today.
Here is a transcript of what she said.
The American Lung Association has reacted positively to the Bush plan.
The Christian Science Monitor reviews the Bush Plan.
CIDRAP on the US plan.
Dr. Osterholm's comments follow:
Michael T. Osterholm, PhD, MPH, a leading advocate of pandemic preparedness, expressed a mixed reaction to the plan as revealed so far. "I think it's aggressive and provides a good start for addressing the vaccine and drug issues," he said. "But I'm concerned that too many people are putting all their eggs in the drug basket in determining preparedness around that issue." Osterholm is director of CIDRAP, publisher of this Web site.
He said using antiviral drugs to fight a pandemic will involve difficult logistical problems, since the drugs must be taken within the first 2 days of illness or they won't help.
Effect Measure unapologetically pans the Bush plan.
Effect Measure also includes, for the sake of the record, Big Pharma's response, which was positive.
Roche reaction--we will work with US to develop strategic stockpile.
Nature has an important article that could have a dramatic impact on bird flu preparation. The article says that using a drug that stops Tamiflu from being excreted in urine could, in effect, double the strength of current dosages. This technique was developed during WWII.
Here's the lastest WHO situation update, which contains news of the 20th human case in Thailand.
CIDRAP reviews that case, citing data that appear to suggest (to me) that the case was not H2H.
ProMed on Thailand.
In Australia, they are noting that panic is the enemy of planning.
Exotic bird sales are down in Hong Kong.
China is promising to be open about the bird flu.
Some wild waterfowl in BC have bird flu, and are being tested to see if its H5N1.
Helen Branswell on the situation in BC. Not one seems surprised to find H5, and no one really expects to find H5N1.
"I will be extremely surprised if these viruses are H5N1, Asian H5N1 viruses," said David Suarez, research leader for exotic and emerging avian viruses at the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Southeast Poultry Research Laboratory in Athens, Ga
Recombinomics notes that while that may all be true, H5 in birds is rare in Canada, and as widespread as the disease was in birds, its a cause for concern.
Thailand is going to help other countries fight the bird flu.
The CBC has a price tag on fighting bird flu in Asia--$102M for the next few years.
Iran says no bird flu in that country.
British Columbia is working on local bird flu plans.
Researchers at Johns Hopkins are applying a traffic safety model to flu planning, with interesting results.
China' largest drug company is seeking a license to produce Tamiflu.
From Boston, the Governor has authorized the state to begin to stockpile flu drugs.
For a little comic relief, check out Boondocks from yeterday,,,
and today. (hat tip to Dave).
Via Crofsblogs, the Brisbane conference is going to do a bird flu drill.
posted by Orange @ 10:04 PM
1 Comments:
As far as the comic relief, these guys are selling shirts making fun of the topic. CMON!!
www.birdflushirts.com
Post a Comment
<< Home