Of more concern is that this rosy report fails to address distribution of vaccine. Recommendations describe actions from “accelerate production” to enhance “surveillance and adverse events.” Public health manages a mere seven percent of the seasonal flu vaccine volume yet will be managing 100 percent of the pandemic vaccine distribution through the state departments of health. Public health lacks a logistic system to manage distribution nor are tested plans in place to get vaccine into the hands of providers to assist it with the fall vaccination campaign.

A 2004 GAO report exposed the limitation of the federal pandemic preparedness strategy that it failed to addressed distribution. As the nation wades into this national emergency, departments of health are scrambling to develop alternative methods to deploy vaccine to providers who can stick arms among high-risk priority groups. The private sector seasonal flu vaccine distribution system is sidelined during a national emergency and the report makes no mention of issues surrounding vaccine distribution from pharmaceutical manufacturers to front-line providers. It makes assumptions that a system is in place, yet this system’s workforce has been decimated in the last decade by 2/3 those traditionally charged with the task of public health vaccination.

http://www.whitehouse.gov/assets/documents/PCAST_H1N1_Report.pdf

Please bring Congress back Mr.President and get them doing what we pay them to do!

Conduct oversight to determine whether legislation is necessary. VACATIONS are not what is meant by “Social Distancing.” Just one example I would like to know of–has any Junior College in America postponed opening for flu social distancing? I pick on that level of education because CDC school guidance seems to be slow in adoption at that level. No “In loco parentis” left or ever was at that level.

http://www.ed.gov/news/pressreleases/2009/08/08242009.html