If a deadly avian flu strikes the United States, the states, including Colorado, should be prepared to go it alone without help from the federal government. That advice – from U.S. Secretary of Health Michael Leavitt – is fair warning in light of the federal government’s missteps after Hurricane Katrina.
“Any community that fails to prepare, with the expectation that the federal government will come to their rescue, will be sadly disappointed,” Leavitt said.
Of course, state and local entities are the first responders in any disaster, whether a terrorist attack, a flash flood or a contagious virus like bird flu. Infected birds could reach the United States later this year.
State medical chief Ned Calonge underscores that bird flu’s arrival does not (necessarily) mean a pandemic. That said, enough scientists believe it could become a pandemic that it is incumbent upon local officials to prepare themselves and the public.
And there’s no time to waste. If bird flu becomes a pandemic, it will strike unexpectedly and in waves. The first wave of victims could suffer the worst. It could take six months to develop an effective vaccine.
Officials estimate that more than 20,000 Coloradans could die. More than a million – a quarter of the state’s population – could fall ill. A half-million people could require medical care.
Gov. Bill Owens at a recent flu summit advised people to stockpile two months’ worth of food and bleach for purifying water. That’s all well and good. The governor and health officials at all levels need to make sure the message gets through to the public and that the resources are available to assist people in need. Advising a senior citizen or handicapped resident to check a computer website for instructions is unrealistic. Plenty of Coloradans don’t have a computer or the means to stockpile. We need a sustained public communications campaign, and state and local health and law enforcement officials must have adequate resources on hand to help needy Colordans.
After Hurricane Katrina, state officials told us they were developing lists of Coloradans who would need assistance in the event of an emergency. We wonder: In the event of a flu outbreak, does anyone have a plan to monitor and help vaccinate homebound residents? It’s just one easy example.
Bottom line: The state needs a no-nonsense flu preparedness plan, and the public needs to pay attention to its details.
