Chaos Feared in Pandemic Flu Plan

As the White House released its plan for dealing with a potential flu pandemic, it warned us all: Don’t expect us to bail you out. Why can’t they help?

The Associated Press’ Lauran Neergaard is reporting the plan calls on businesses and individuals to take important steps now to ensure vital services keep running in the event a pandemic does strike.

“The updated plan… stresses basic human needs such as medical care and food, but doesn’t address some major hurdles - how to meet those needs if massive absenteeism stops transportation by closing oil refineries, or crashes the Internet so workers can't telecommute,” Neergaard reports.

Last week’s report updates President Bush’s initial plan, she adds, outlining exactly which government agency is responsible for some 300 additional tasks. It also provides details, beyond health care, of changes Americans could expect in how they travel, work and conduct day-to-day activities during a severe pandemic.

The report’s big message? “Local communities will have to address the medical and non-medical impacts of the pandemic with available resources.” That's because the federal government won't be able to offer the kind of aid expected after hurricanes or other one-time, one-location natural disasters, Neergaard says.

To read the full article, click here: http://www.phillyburbs.com/pb-dyn/news/94-05032006-651137.html