I wonder how come the BushCo drug buddies didn't

plan enough serum to vacinate the children this winter. Was there not enough money in something like that???

How come HHS or whatere it is now (Tommy Thompson) have his butt in a wringer over this. The little ones are already dying.

1) This season hit everyone by surprise, they caluculated the number of flu-shots they would need based on last years numbers.

2) Flu isn't deadly for most people.

It wasn't proven until a few years ago -- maybe less than five years ago -- that there was any value to vaccinating children against flu, as opposed to just letting them catch it and develop some antibodies and partially train their immune system.

Until very recently, it was only advised that people over 50 and a few other circumstances get the flu shot. Even then, keep in mind that a flu shot does not guarantee that a vulnerable person will not catch the flu. As little as 30 percent of our elders may be helped by their flu shot. If children received as little protection, it might have been better not to expose them to the shot. It was only recently that we learned the shot helped kids.

Even so, about ten million doses of flu vaccine went un-used last year.

This year, the media has engaged in mass marketing of flu hysteria. The "little ones" die every year. On average, over 90 children a year are killed by flu. This year, less than 40 children have died. No one seems to be saying how many of the 40 did have a flu shot and only received partial proection. Perhaps some, perhaps none. I can't find the data.

The flu vaccine is not like polio vaccine, where you get it and you will not get polio. People can get flu vaccine and still get the flu, although often not as severe a case. It becomes a judgement call. People's judgements vary from year to year, and it becomes impossible to predict just how many units of vaccine will be needed. Predicting mass behavior and mass hysteria is nearly impossible. I blame Mr. Thompson for a lot of things but not necessarily for failing to foresee how the media would beat the drum for FluMist and flu hysteria, thus potentially cheating the needy of their shots at the expense of the middle-aged. My doctor said the flu shot probably wasn't worthwhile for me. That isn't what msnbc.com said though. And a lot of people put more value on the mass media than in the words of a doctor, alas.