Flu Fighters

#+AUTHOR: Christopher Beam

- Sen. Susan Collins of Maine did not actually sneak into the workplaces of 40

Americans, jimmy open their lunchboxes, and lace their sandwiches with

contaminated ham. What she did was strip $780 million dedicated to

flu-pandemic prevention from the stimulus package in February. But judging by

some reactions on the left, that act of legislative tinkering was just as bad.

- Trust for America’s Health estimates the federal government would need to

spend $350 million a year just to keep state and local governments ready to

respond to outbreaks.

- If an actual outbreak occurred, the government would have to dedicate billions

more. It would have to cover stocking vaccines and antiviral medications,

distributing lab equipment, and overtime pay for health care workers,

ambulance drivers, and doctors.