Homeland Secretary Napolitano predicts severe fall flu epidemic

[thundley4]

U.S. Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano asserted Tuesday that pandemic flu is likely to flare up soon after schools open in the fall, well before any vaccine is available.
Napolitano also acknowledged that there would not be enough pandemic flu vaccine for everyone, at least in the early stages of the flu season. "There will be prioritization of vaccinations," she told members of the USA TODAY editorial board.
The flu strain causing the pandemic, a new strain of H1N1 flu that is also known as swine flu, is especially dangerous because it is genetically different from virtually every other known flu virus. As a result, most people are defenseless against it — making vaccine the keystone of any effort to prevent illness and save lives.

Napolitano said the flu epidemic is likely to be severe, but not as severe as the 1918 pandemic, the world's worst. In 1918, flu killed at least 675,000 people in the USA and up to 50 million worldwide. She said it's more likely that the pandemic would mirror 1957, when flu killed about 70,000 people in the USA and more than one million people worldwide, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

USAToday

Maybe this should have been under "General", but since Nappy is the head of the DHS, and the bold part makes me think this will be political.  Some of the Executive Orders that are on the books could come into effect under an epidemic .

[Rick]

Why is she announcing this and not the Surgeon General?

hmm..

Who is the Surgeon General?

[thundley4]

Why is she announcing this and not the Surgeon General?

hmm..

Who is the Surgeon General?

Sebelius.  I too thought she should be the one doing the fearmongering about this. 

[Crazy Horse]

Sebelius.  I too thought she should be the one doing the fearmongering about this. 

Actually the Surgeon General is Regina Benjamin

[thundley4]

Actually the Surgeon General is Regina Benjamin

Ooops. Sebelius is the Secretary of Health and Human Services.  Still, it should have been either Benjamin or Sebelius, not Napolitano.

[BadCat]

Now you all see why Arizona is so glad to be rid of this woman?

[JohnnyReb]

The fall flew season: When everyone flys to Canada or France for healthcare.

[vesta111]

The fall flew season: When everyone flys to Canada or France for healthcare.

I am amazed at how easy the words of caution roll off the tongue of this woman.

First she assures us that there will be vaccine some time in the future, then she mentions that science has never seen this strain before. 

Fear not, at its worse only about 1400 people per state on the average will die. Another million around the world may parish----- 

Who in your town will be in charge of quarantining people that are infected yet insist on going into public with out a mask ? Will the police arrest people who knowingly spread this disease.? 

Since this is a brand new top of the line virus, does anyone know at what time in the illness one is most contagious ?  How long does it incubate within a person before they become contagious.? 

Should we begin to stock up on food and water for a 2-3 week period as one does before a hurricane ?

Who is going to man our health centers when the staff are all out sick, the fire department, police. 

I believe she only mentioned the morbidity rates, Millions and millions of people will survive but the time down from being productive may cause great confusion and panic.

Are we gearing up for marshal law  and curfews.?

Just what the heck is this silver tongued woman know about any of this ?

[thundley4]

Now we know why nappy was the one to disclose the upcoming epidemic. She was setting the stage for putting the troops on the streets later this year.

Military Poised to Help FEMA Battle Swine Flu Outbreak
The Pentagon is preparing to make troops available if necessary to help the Federal Emergency Management Agency tackle a potential outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall, FOX News has confirmed.

This comes as a government panel recommends certain groups be placed at the front of the line for swine flu vaccinations this fall, including pregnant women, health care workers and children six months and older.

The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices panel also said those first vaccinated should include parents and other caregivers of infants; *non-elderly adults who have high-risk medical conditions, and young adults ages 19 to 24. The panel, whose recommendations typically are adopted by federal health officials, voted to set vaccination priorities for those groups Wednesday during a meeting in Atlanta.
*snip*
A senior U.S. defense official told FOX News that the plan calls for military task forces to work in conjunction with the FEMA. No final decision has been reached on how the military effort would be manned, but one source said it likely would include personnel from all branches of the military.

It is not known how many troops would be needed and whether they would come from the active duty or the National Guard and Reserve forces.

Fox News

* No vaccinations for the elderly, who are traditionally given preference for flu shots?  That's one way of helping to balance the books for Medicare and Social Security.

I suppose the military would be a great asset in moving people to those FEMA camps that the DUmmies were always talking about.

[Chris_]

Now we know why nappy was the one to disclose the upcoming epidemic. She was setting the stage for putting the troops on the streets later this year. Fox News

* No vaccinations for the elderly, who are traditionally given preference for flu shots?  That's one way of helping to balance the books for Medicare and Social Security.

Welcome to Obamacare......and to think that the AARP actually came out in support of the healthcare bill.......I guess they don't mind if their membership gets decimated........the income that they receive from shilling insurance plans must be enough........

doc