The politics of pandemics - Pandemic jitters
http://www.boston.com/news/globe/ideas/articles/2005/11/13/the_politics_of_pandemics/
Informant: binstock
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Pandemic jitters
Washington Times
by Tom Bethell
11/15/05
It was refreshing the other day when Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said 'no' to the administration request for an extra $7.1 billion for the latest 'pandemic.' 'I would vote against it and I would encourage others to vote against it,' Mr. Barton said. Good for him. Avian flu has been grossly exaggerated and it's time someone said so. There have been all of 60 deaths, worldwide. The same virus infected 18 people in Hong Kong in 1997. Then, two years ago, there were a handful of cases in both Vietnam (population 83 million) and Thailand (population 66 million). In both countries combined, 20 people, known to have been working with chickens, contracted influenza symptoms. All this is from the New England Journal of Medicine. Now the government wants to reach into taxpayers' pockets for billions more to prepare for a flu crisis. It is feared the virus will mutate and become easily transmitted from person to person. But it has shown no sign of doing so over eight years...
http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20051114-102617-5550r.htm
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
Informant: binstock
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Pandemic jitters
Washington Times
by Tom Bethell
11/15/05
It was refreshing the other day when Rep. Joe Barton of Texas, chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, said 'no' to the administration request for an extra $7.1 billion for the latest 'pandemic.' 'I would vote against it and I would encourage others to vote against it,' Mr. Barton said. Good for him. Avian flu has been grossly exaggerated and it's time someone said so. There have been all of 60 deaths, worldwide. The same virus infected 18 people in Hong Kong in 1997. Then, two years ago, there were a handful of cases in both Vietnam (population 83 million) and Thailand (population 66 million). In both countries combined, 20 people, known to have been working with chickens, contracted influenza symptoms. All this is from the New England Journal of Medicine. Now the government wants to reach into taxpayers' pockets for billions more to prepare for a flu crisis. It is feared the virus will mutate and become easily transmitted from person to person. But it has shown no sign of doing so over eight years...
http://www.washtimes.com/commentary/20051114-102617-5550r.htm
Informant: Thomas L. Knapp
Starmail - 16. Nov, 18:39
