by Hal Newman
Despite the recent rah-rah session aka the Flu Summit in DC and all the good tidings that flowed forth from that ‘rather vacuous’ gathering, I have serious concerns about what awaits us as H1N1 circles the globe and comes streaming back towards us as a virulent mo-fo capable of creating the tipping point that sends healthcare systems well over the edge and into semi-permanent surge status.
WHO has recently recommended that all nations should immunize their healthcare providers as a screaming priority in order to protect the health infrastructure. Remember, folks, that’s the same health infrastructure that’s currently operating well beyond normal capacity on an ongoing basis despite the fact real life has been in the fat dumb and happy zone in between natural disasters and man-made catastrophes for years.
There are problems with the production of a workable flu vax [perhaps as far down the road as 10+ months] and there are rationing schemes afoot with country-specific customizations on order of priority of the following groups: pregnant women; those aged above 6 months with one of several chronic medical conditions; healthy young adults of 15 to 49 years of age; healthy children; healthy adults of 50 to 64 years of age; and healthy adults of 65 years of age and above.
And so, as my pal Roy says, even mid-2010 does not mean global coverage, just those that can afford it or have special arrangements. Perhaps it’s time we considered home schooling..
Do not take the mainstream media’s inability to deal with its own Attention Deficit Disorder lightly. While it’s somehow amusing to watch CNN’s Situation Room monitors flicker with images ranging from Jocko’s funeral services to the uprising in the streets of Tehran, keep in mind these are the times we need to be looking at our emergency services’ capabilities with the eyes of a malevolent red team because the wicked things that are inbound will surely stretch the anticipated limits and then some.
There are challenging times ahead. Just my two vicious bits.
Be well. Practice big medicine.
