First dibs on bird flu vaccine?

The Powers That Be are certainly serious about warning us of the possibility (some have even said probability) that the avian virus H5N1 will mutate to allow human-to-human transmission, creating a pandemic that could kill 50 million people, or more. In the last couple of weeks we've seen how many stories? Maybe they are trying to tell us something, for a change.

What's the difference between an epidemic and a pandemic? An epidemic can be contained to a region. A pandemic jumps borders rapidly and becomes a worldwide problem.

USA Today reports (via Steve Qayle) that WHO (the U.N.-sponsored World Health Organization) is preparing for this global outbreak by making arrangements with a Swiss drug manufacturer to provide specialized flu vaccine for 3 million people.

Is it just us, or does that seem a little on the stingy side?

Better numbers from the planning efforts of American health officials who are trying to coax and cajole drug manufacturers to ignore recent litigation history and quickly prepare enough vaccine to cover an initial 4.3 million. Cool. That will only leave 295.7 million (approximately) without protection. We'll forget about that for a moment (why not, everyone else has), and ask the next question:

According to the disaster plan for the Avian Flu, who gets the vaccine first?

We just happen to know the answer to that, since the New York Times printed those documents a few days ago.

A key point of contention if an epidemic strikes is who will get vaccines first. The administration's plan suggests a triage distribution 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, the police, firefighters and government leaders are next.

The plan also calls for a national stockpile of 133 million courses of antiviral treatment. The administration has bought 4.3 million.

Don't have a problem with protecting the people who make the drug. If they go, we all go.

Don't have a problem with medical personnel.

Do have some problems with the rest of the list. Pregnant women ought to come before the elderly and the severely ill. You protect your next generation first in the event of pandemic. Where does it list children? It doesn't. That's inexcuseable.

Police and fire units should not be last on the list. Plus, we need at least some units of the military vaccinated just in case anyone else on the planet is well enough to cause trouble.

Government leaders, however, should take their chances with poor slobs like the Oklahomilist, who does not see his name or his group -- grumbling internet commentators -- listed at all.

Oh, yeah. AIDS patients. They should come after parents of infants, and children. Can we at least knock off the political correctness crap during a genuine world-wide health emergency?

In a perfect world the vaccines would already be manufactured and in storage, waiting for what we all hope will be a false alarm. It isn't a perfect world, but we at least ought to try to get some of it right.