President Bush last week unveiled his plan to deal with an outbreak

of a disease like bird flu.

Here are the highlights.

What's the President's plan? His Implementation Plan released last week was the follow-up to the 12-page National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza issued in November. It's not easy reading. Inside the snazzy red, white and blue covers are 227 pages of dense bureaucratese. The White House plan is to try to contain problems overseas, show the country that the President is in command and keep people informed so they will be calmer. Local and state governments are urged to prepare as for a terrorist attack or natural disaster. In other words, don't rely on the feds.

What could happen in a pandemic? The plan estimates that a pandemic could kill 200,000 to 2 million U.S. citizens. It also says the U.S. lacks "adequate stockpiles of antiviral medications and plans to distribute the supplies we have."

What if avian flu strikes? State and local law enforcement, backed by the National Guard, may have to isolate or quarantine victims. The U.S. would not seal borders with Canada and Mexico; that would not stop a pandemic and "would have significant negative social, economic and foreign policy consequences," the plan says. The Administration may order the screening of people flying into the U.S., though carriers of the virus who show no symptoms could evade detection.

What can individuals and businesses do? Wash your hands. Clean sinks, railings, keyboards and phones--the virus can survive up to two days on hard surfaces. Reduce face-to-face meetings. Encourage telecommuting as well as flexible work hours. Keep 3 ft. of distance from other people ("spatial separation," in governmentspeak). Oh, and cover your mouth when you cough.

http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,1191841,00.html


In other words, folks, we're on our own if anything happens.

Is he bring the NG home from Iraq for that job? Oh yea, he has another job for the NG too...Iran! He must think he has an endless supply of NG troops the same as an endless supply of MONEY! He's WRONG on both counts!

is wash our hands! D'oh! *slaps forehead*

Tape over your nose and mouth!!!! OOPS, that means you couldn't breathe huh? Then that's probably part of Shrubs plan too!

To keep all the germs out!

:bounce:

Household item of a thousand uses - I've even used it to tape a duct once!

Seriously, we're going to be on our own in the event of any sort of disaster. Since this is the centenary of the San Francisco earthquake, there're a lot of local PSAs right now telling people to be prepared for no services of any sort for at least 72 hours.

That bird-shit movie on ABC last night sounded like pure propaganda to me. They tried quarantining some populations, but eventually gave up "because it clearly didn't work". The "best" solution in the movie was community support, not federal support.

It was completely unrealistic. They showed no food drops at all. People just managed to loot or had food on hand.

And I am stocking up on water and peanut butter!

:bounce:

exists solely on peanut butter, so I have that covered already. :rofl:

water (and thorough drying); avoidance of close personal contact; latex exam gloves, disinfectant spray, surgical face masks; stay at home if ill; avoid crowds.

Bush has as much as said the feds will do NOTHING to help. It's up to the states to prepare. We would do well to have a small supply of Roccal or bleach or Lysol in our homes (NOT major stockpiles), a box of exam gloves, some bandannas (make adequate reusable face masks), and some common sense. We don't need Tamiflu and ventilators for every single American, can't afford them anyway, and need to be able to get through this without a functioning healthcare system (which will be rapidly and completely overwhelmed, and fall apart, IMHO).

;)