Bungling H1N1: Govt Should NOT be in Charge of Health Care

Am I stretching it? I don't think so.

The first cases of swine flu in the U.S. were reported back in March, after there was plenty of time to assess what was coming and make a plan to vaccinate the public. So here we are more than seven months later, and already we're seeing shortages, long lines, and the vaccine not going to those who need it most.

Here's a video from WashingtonPost.com about a shot clinic set up at a school in Maryland: it's basically a comedy of errors, as the school is overwhelmed by the crowd that shows up and has to bring in extra security and port-a-potties. The biggest mistake they make, imo, is not giving the shot to the pregnant women first:

In my county, shot clinics were also inundated with hundreds more people than they had doses for, and no one I know has any idea where to get a shot or when if their doctor might get some in.

The government has also failed in getting the message across how serious this epidemic is. Too many people are ambivalent about getting the vaccine, not recognizing that it can be deadly, even to those in fine health. Imagine if more people took the message to heart, just how much longer all those lines would be.

The good news is the outbreak may have peaked. The bad news -- we're at least weeks away from finally getting around to producing enough vaccine. But the WashPo said it best today, describing the governments efforts as "sputtering."

A glimpse of America under Obamacare? Count on it.

Comments

[ChunLing]

Hmmm...I got the flu an extra time this year, so probably one of those was swine flu. This vaccine does strike me as arriving more than a few days late and way more than a dollar (even back in the day dollars) over budget.

Still, I don't think it's really fair to characterize this as being entirely Obama's fault. The fact of the matter is that there isn't much anyone can do to identify and implement really necessary vaccine programs without taking a few months. Seven is a bit slow, but I think the bigger problem is that they're rushing it rather than how slow they are. Of course, the fact that they're this slow despite rushing it through isn't exactly confidence inspiring, but who actually thought Obama was good for anything other than making sure the rich stopped getting richer?

Bang up job on that, at least. Except for all the Soros-types profiting from betting against the dollar. But I think that they don't count as rich for some reason or other.

Anyway, it's not like I'm a fan of Obama. I just think that this isn't really his fault. I also don't think it's as big a disaster as all that, compared to everything else (including a few things that pretty much are Obama's fault). So a few hundred thousand people, who are probably out of work anyway, have to wait in lines for a day. So a lot of local schools and other community centers end up being disrupted. It's not like they were doing anything useful or even harmless anyway, right?

Yeah, I'll admit that it may not be very reassuring. But even if the man campaigned partly by offering hope and change...the changes thus far indicate that hope may not be warranted at this point. So this is probably for the best.

[Pat]

Don't you remember the bird flu scare under President Bush? Reported by Fox News at the time:

"WASHINGTON — President Bush, increasingly concerned about a possible avian flu pandemic, revealed Tuesday that any part of the country where the virus breaks out could likely be quarantined and that he is considering using the military to enforce it."

I can only imagine how Obama's detractors would react if this was how he chose to address the swine flu pandemic. Forget the "God and guns" crowd; suddenly Michelle Malkin would be AGAINST internment camps!

[ChunLing]

Well, to be fair, that avian flu was statistically more dangerous and somehow or other it got contained before everybody got it. If this flu, which the vast majority of the developed world has probably already contracted by now, were as dangerous as the avian flu...I still wouldn't care.

But, nobody would be against internment camps.

[ChunLing]

Oh, wait...http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091024/ap_on_go_pr_wh/us_obama_swine_flu now it's an emergency.

What an idiot.

Clue implant time, once "46 states [out of 50] have widespread flu activity" and "many millions" of Americans (out of 300) have already contracted this, it's way too late to do anything. Virtually everyone has been exposed by now. Asking people who might not have had it already to come stand around in lines with people who may well be exposed...particularly since they're using a 'live' vaccine.

Maybe just me, but I wouldn't assign that project a real high priority level.

[Colette Moran]

I appreciate that this virus isn't as deadly and that there can be delays in providing the vaccine, but this administration had the heads up months in advance, and the HHS has let us all down.

More good news has been seen in that the counties around here are now giving priority to pregnant women and children 36 months and under, and now that the Prez has declared a state of emergency, that may speed some things up.

But last I heard, the vaccine still won't be arriving 'til long after it is really needed for the vast majority of us.

Now I must run and figure out where I'm going to get a shot for my 35 1/2 month old son...