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Many U.S. states not ready for pandemic
Despite U.S. stockpiles of drugs and respirators, public health officials say many states are still not fully prepared to handle a flu pandemic.
These states and cities don't have adequate measures for the distribution of the drugs and respirators in the event of a pandemic, reports USA Today.
"You can have all the Tamiflu and respirators in the world, but if you can't get them to the people who need them, they're not much good," Kim Elliott of the non-profit Trust for America's Health told the newspaper.
Supplies are maintained by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in secret locations across the country from where they can be transported in 12 hours to state distribution centers, the report said.
However, from those destinations, it will be the responsibility of the states and cities to distribute them to residents.
The non-profit group says as of the end of last year, only seven states were regarded as being prepared to deliver supplies from the stockpile, the report said.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says his department will assess preparedness plans, saying, "This is the kind of catastrophic thing that has to be on the front burner."
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
"You can have all the Tamiflu and respirators in the world, but if you can't get them to the people who need them, they're not much good," Kim Elliott of the non-profit Trust for America's Health told the newspaper.
Supplies are maintained by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in secret locations across the country from where they can be transported in 12 hours to state distribution centers, the report said.
However, from those destinations, it will be the responsibility of the states and cities to distribute them to residents.
The non-profit group says as of the end of last year, only seven states were regarded as being prepared to deliver supplies from the stockpile, the report said.
Homeland Security Secretary Michael Chertoff says his department will assess preparedness plans, saying, "This is the kind of catastrophic thing that has to be on the front burner."
Copyright 2006 by United Press International
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