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"The real shortcoming of the plan is that it doesn't say who's in charge," said a top health official who provided the plan to The New York Times. "We don't want to have a FEMA-like response, where it's not clear who's running what."
The official asked for anonymity because the plan is not supposed to be distributed. The draft provided to The Times is dated Sept. 30, and is stamped "for internal H.H.S. use only." The plan asks government officials to clear it by Oct. 6.
And he said that the administration's plan is an essential starting point for planning for state and local officials.
"It will require school districts to have a plan on how they will deal with school opening and closing," he said. "It will require the mayor to have a plan on whether or not they're going to ask the theaters not to have a movie."
"Over the next couple of months you will see a great deal of activity asking metropolitan areas, 'Are you ready.' If not, here is what must be done," he said.
A key point of contention if an epidemic strikes is who will get vaccines first. The administration's plan suggests a triage scenario for these essential medicines. Groups like the military, national guard and other national security groups were left out.
Beyond the military, however, the first in line for essential medicines are workers in plants making the vaccines and drugs as well as medical personnel working directly with those sickened by the disease. Next are the elderly and severely ill. Then come pregnant women, transplant and AIDS patients, and parents of infants. Finally, police, firefighters and government leaders are next.
Originally posted by justme1640
Now does that seem backwards to anyone but me -- wouldn't you want your essential people like Military, people who work in the plants making the vaccines, medical personel who work with the people who are sick,and the police dept and firefighters to get the vaccine so they can continue to do their jobs during the epidemic?