USGOV Preparing Nat'l Disaster Medical System For Possible H7N9 Pandemic

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What You Need to Know

On several occasions in recent months we have reported on the extraordinary efforts being undertaken by federal health and disaster authorities to prepare for some form of pandemic-scale public health event (see this, this and this). The sheer scale of the preparations, the amounts of money being spent and the speed at which these preparations are taking place reveal significant concern on the part of authorities. Keeping in mind that the H7N9 bird flu virus was only first identified in the early Spring of this year, a few of the federal government's preparations we have covered since that time include: A May 2013 announcement by the Dept. of Health and Human Services and the Centers for Disease Control of a 1 BILLION dollar cost plus Federal Solicitation for the purposes of emergency experimentation with H7N9 Flu vaccines and emergency experimental antiviral treatments. The Solicitation specifically references "preparation for a possible large scale national H7N9 influenza vaccination program." A May 2013 announcement by the CDC of their intended acquisition of 512 million syringes, alcohol prep pads and other related products necessary to meet the vaccine administration needs of the American public during a pandemic influenza event. An August 2013 announcement that the CDC and Poison Control Centers are rapidly establishing a "National Nurse Triage Line" using the 211 phone number for a Severe Influenza Pandemic in preparation for "managing ill persons with influenza-like illness during a severe pandemic" as there is a high likelihood hospitals would be inundated with ill persons. (Also see this.) Which brings us to the present. In recent weeks, FEMA and the CDC have put out a flurry of new solicitations for related acquisitions that are sure to raise some eyebrows. Just a few of these include Read More Here

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