Opinion: U.S. swine flu response dismal at best

[Bluebear]

Arthur Caplan, Ph.D., is director of the Center for Bioethics at the University of Pennsylvania.

....The posturing before the cameras in a competition to offer the worst advice has been a rare example of bipartisanship. Sen. Joe Lieberman, I-Conn., Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., and the ever mind-numbingly off-base Rep. Roy Blunt, R-Mo., screamed that “accused terrorists will be first in line for H1N1 vaccines.” At least Blunt remembered that they are only accused.

The point, however, is that even if you don’t give two hoots for those stuck in limbo at Guantanamo or locked up in prisons and jails all over the nation, these prisoners pose a huge threat to you.

Prisons are prime breeding grounds for disease, including swine flu. The prisoners infect the guards who bring the virus home to their pregnant wives and kids. From there, it moves out into the neighborhood, the school, the airport and beyond.

I am sure the crowd imprisoned at Gitmo will be happy to do their best to infect our troops. If you want to control the spread of swine flu, the best move is to vaccinate prisoners — whether they want to be vaccinated or not.

We are not doing a good job with swine flu. We need a national commission to review what has gone wrong with the response to the pandemic. And that same commission needs to take a long hard look at the lessons we need to learn before the truly nasty bug or batty terrorist packing anthrax, botulism or tularemia shows up on our shores.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/33797280/ns/health-health_care/

[Cronus Protagonist]

1. Wow, prison guards have pregnant kids?

What are they teaching these poor children??

[timeforpeace]

2. Don't worry, the government will do much better with all of healthcare than they did with this.

[stray cat]

3. Vaccines are not mandatory and bugs can still kill you regardless of governments