Will our government public health officials warn us about the next pandemic?
Let’s take a walk down memory lane….
The U.S. health care system is complex and dynamic. It been declining into catastrophic failure mode for at least the past decade. We struggled to manage and survive a systemic collapse of the economy along with medical systems due to an inept response to a deadly pandemic during 2020 and 2021.
The previous president, bureaucrats, and legislators knew this danger was coming but did not have the capacity to respond. A successful response to a rapidly moving scourge requires: (1) a plan, (2) a strategy, (3) adequate equipment/supplies, (4) technology (5) trained personnel, and (6) and competent, honest leadership willing to implement the plan. The turn of the century administration in office called for the implementation of each of these item but was ignored and neglected.
The consequence of that neglect was devastating. There was no plan, no strategy, adequate personal protective gear, enough ventilators, bed capacity and other equipment and supplies needed in a pandemic. The question is why? Public health and infectious disease experts have been warning for decades that pandemics would grow more severe and more frequent (Laurie Garrett warned us with an article titled The Coming Plague going all the way back to 1993). Indeed, since the 1980s, we have seen the HIV, H1N1, SARS, and Ebola outbreaks spread across the planet. It is not as if there have not been dire health scares in our past that could have informed us of the critical need for preparedness in the future.
We should not forget that something serious was going on in China in December of 2019. The Chinese economy was practically brought to a halt and serious isolation practices were implemented as only an authoritarian government can implement population control. The disease quickly spread to other Asian countries. Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan implemented extensive organized and effective prevention efforts. Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan had prior experience with the SARS epidemic and undertook impressive campaigns to keep the outbreak from overwhelming their medical systems. They succeeded.
Why was the United States so blasé and even sanguine about a novel virus that prompted massive public health efforts in China and other Asian nations? Even after known infestations the U.S. government remained seemingly unconcerned. Or did it?
Who Knew What & When Did They Know It? Let’s not forget…
Republican chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, telling some donors in a private meeting that the coming pandemic could be as serious as the global flu pandemic of 1918. He was not at all as laid back and buoyant as he was in public at that time. The donor meeting occurred on February 27th. The audio of the Senator warning his wealthy supporters about the coming plague can be heard at: https://media.crooksandliars.com/2020/03/44593.mp3_standard.mp3.
Senator Burr is known as a leading legislative figure in the development of a national plan to thwart pandemics. He is not a neophyte in public health policy. Furthermore, he was present at a “closed door” COVID19 briefing presented by the Trump Administration National Security Council on January 24th – over a month before his dire warning to his donors. The contents of the briefing have never been disclosed to the public. In a search of the Senate Intelligence Committee website, no evidence could be found that a meeting regarding COVID 19 was held (https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/, “HEARINGS” tab).
Senator Burr was not expressing the same alarm in public he imparted to his close political allies. Furthermore, the President of the United States declared at a South Carolina rally on February 28th – one day after Burr’s ominous statements caught on audio – that the corona virus was a Democratic Party hoax.
Throughout February and most of the month of March, Trump and his powerful ancillary propaganda machine consisting of Fox News, an assortment of well-funded and well-organized Christian nationalist organizations, and most of the Republican Party repeated the corona virus hoax lie. A phalanx of right-wing virus deniers, conspiracy theorists, and Fox bloviators were egged on by the president who at best was recognizing the disease did exist, but it was primarily China’s problem and wouldn’t amount to much in the U.S.
Minimizing by The CDC, NIH, HHS, and the FDA at Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee Hearing
On March 3rd, Trump Administration officials responsible for pandemic preparedness, presented their views on potential threats to public health by the COVID19 outbreak at an open hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee. Dr. Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HHS had the following to say:
“The potential global public health threat posed by this virus is high, but right now, the immediate risk to most Americans is low. The greater risk is for people who have recently traveled to an affected country or been exposed to someone with COVID19.” Page 3.
Millions of Americans died during the Covid19 pandemic. Nursing homes were disproportionally affected. Nearly four years later, many health experts are saying a high percentage of those deaths should have never occurred. As has become normal response to such serious negligence and consequent damage, no one has ever been held accountable.
Should we be concerned about the H5N1 (bird flu) virus that is now infecting Americans? Will we be prepared of it shows signs of aggressiveness? Ask your senator and congressman as soon as possible!
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Posted: June 14, 2024 by Kent Comfort
Will our government public health officials warn us about the next pandemic?
Let’s take a walk down memory lane….
The U.S. health care system is complex and dynamic. It been declining into catastrophic failure mode for at least the past decade. We struggled to manage and survive a systemic collapse of the economy along with medical systems due to an inept response to a deadly pandemic during 2020 and 2021.
The previous president, bureaucrats, and legislators knew this danger was coming but did not have the capacity to respond. A successful response to a rapidly moving scourge requires: (1) a plan, (2) a strategy, (3) adequate equipment/supplies, (4) technology (5) trained personnel, and (6) and competent, honest leadership willing to implement the plan. The turn of the century administration in office called for the implementation of each of these item but was ignored and neglected.
The consequence of that neglect was devastating. There was no plan, no strategy, adequate personal protective gear, enough ventilators, bed capacity and other equipment and supplies needed in a pandemic. The question is why? Public health and infectious disease experts have been warning for decades that pandemics would grow more severe and more frequent (Laurie Garrett warned us with an article titled The Coming Plague going all the way back to 1993). Indeed, since the 1980s, we have seen the HIV, H1N1, SARS, and Ebola outbreaks spread across the planet. It is not as if there have not been dire health scares in our past that could have informed us of the critical need for preparedness in the future.
We should not forget that something serious was going on in China in December of 2019. The Chinese economy was practically brought to a halt and serious isolation practices were implemented as only an authoritarian government can implement population control. The disease quickly spread to other Asian countries. Singapore, South Korea, Taiwan, and Japan implemented extensive organized and effective prevention efforts. Singapore, South Korea, and Taiwan had prior experience with the SARS epidemic and undertook impressive campaigns to keep the outbreak from overwhelming their medical systems. They succeeded.
Why was the United States so blasé and even sanguine about a novel virus that prompted massive public health efforts in China and other Asian nations? Even after known infestations the U.S. government remained seemingly unconcerned. Or did it?
Who Knew What & When Did They Know It? Let’s not forget…
Republican chair of the Senate Intelligence Committee, telling some donors in a private meeting that the coming pandemic could be as serious as the global flu pandemic of 1918. He was not at all as laid back and buoyant as he was in public at that time. The donor meeting occurred on February 27th. The audio of the Senator warning his wealthy supporters about the coming plague can be heard at: https://media.crooksandliars.com/2020/03/44593.mp3_standard.mp3.
Senator Burr is known as a leading legislative figure in the development of a national plan to thwart pandemics. He is not a neophyte in public health policy. Furthermore, he was present at a “closed door” COVID19 briefing presented by the Trump Administration National Security Council on January 24th – over a month before his dire warning to his donors. The contents of the briefing have never been disclosed to the public. In a search of the Senate Intelligence Committee website, no evidence could be found that a meeting regarding COVID 19 was held (https://www.intelligence.senate.gov/, “HEARINGS” tab).
Immediately following the hearing Senator Burr sold $1.6 million worth of stock in his personal portfolio – in companies that he claimed in his talk to donors would be most likely adversely affected by a virus pandemic overwhelming the U.S. (https://www.propublica.org/article/senator-dumped-up-to-1-7-million-of-stock-after-reassuring-public-about-coronavirus-preparedness).
Senator Diane Feinstein, also a member of the Senate Intelligence Committee, cashed out of $6 million worth of stock from her personal investment portfolio. Senators James Inhofe, Ron Johnson, and Loeffler also unloaded a considerable amount of stock at the same time (https://www.propublica.org/article/senator-dumped-up-to-1-7-million-of-stock-after-reassuring-public-about-coronavirus-preparedness).
“Nothing to see here…..”
Senator Burr was not expressing the same alarm in public he imparted to his close political allies. Furthermore, the President of the United States declared at a South Carolina rally on February 28th – one day after Burr’s ominous statements caught on audio – that the corona virus was a Democratic Party hoax.
Throughout February and most of the month of March, Trump and his powerful ancillary propaganda machine consisting of Fox News, an assortment of well-funded and well-organized Christian nationalist organizations, and most of the Republican Party repeated the corona virus hoax lie. A phalanx of right-wing virus deniers, conspiracy theorists, and Fox bloviators were egged on by the president who at best was recognizing the disease did exist, but it was primarily China’s problem and wouldn’t amount to much in the U.S.
Minimizing by The CDC, NIH, HHS, and the FDA at Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee Hearing
On March 3rd, Trump Administration officials responsible for pandemic preparedness, presented their views on potential threats to public health by the COVID19 outbreak at an open hearing held by the Senate Health, Education, Labor, & Pensions Committee. Dr. Robert Kadlec, Assistant Secretary for Preparedness and Response, HHS had the following to say:
“The potential global public health threat posed by this virus is high, but right now, the immediate risk to most Americans is low. The greater risk is for people who have recently traveled to an affected country or been exposed to someone with COVID19.” Page 3.
Department of Health and Human Services
Have we learned and will we be better prepared?
Millions of Americans died during the Covid19 pandemic. Nursing homes were disproportionally affected. Nearly four years later, many health experts are saying a high percentage of those deaths should have never occurred. As has become normal response to such serious negligence and consequent damage, no one has ever been held accountable.
Should we be concerned about the H5N1 (bird flu) virus that is now infecting Americans? Will we be prepared of it shows signs of aggressiveness? Ask your senator and congressman as soon as possible!
Category: Uncategorized