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Letter to the editor

A plan of attack for super flu

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published October 23, 2007

Who would be first in line if a super strain of flu triggers the next pandemic? The government has drafted a step-by-step plan to be released today.

Head of the line: Pregnant women, babies and toddlers would join doctors, emergency workers and soldiers.

Next: Once more vaccine is brewed, older children along with workers who keep the electricity, water and phones running would be vaccinated.

End of the line: The elderly and healthy younger adults.

The criteria: The priority list, quite different from the usual winter pleas for older Americans to get vaccinated against regular flu, reflects growing agreement that curbing a superflu would require protecting workers who care for the sick and maintain crucial services - plus targeting the people most likely to spread flu - children - and not just die from it.

Stockpiling: Scientists cannot predict when the next pandemic will arrive, although concern is rising that the Asian bird flu known as H5N1 might trigger one if it starts spreading easily from person to person. Vaccine must be custom-brewed to each circulating flu strain, but the government is stockpiling against the current bird flu strain in hopes it could offer some protection. That stockpile is expected to contain enough for 13-million people by year's end, said Department of Health and Human Services spokesman Bill Hall, and the eventual goal is to stockpile enough for 20-million people, roughly the number the draft plan designates to be first in line.

[Last modified October 22, 2007, 22:33:59]