President George W. Bush suggested using the military to contain any epidemic of avian influenza on Tuesday, saying Congress needs to consider the possibility.
He said the military, perhaps the National Guard, might be needed to enforce quarantines if the feared H5N1 bird flu virus changes enough to cause widespread human infection.
"If we had an outbreak somewhere in the United States, do we not then quarantine that part of the country? And how do you, then, enforce a quarantine?" Bush asked at a news conference.
"It's one thing to shut down airplanes. It's another thing to prevent people from coming in to get exposed to the avian flu. And who best to be able to effect a quarantine?" Bush added.
Interesting wording: To quarantine is to keep the disease within a cirtaion area or group. "It's another thing to prevent people from coming in to get exposed to the avian flu. Who would want to come in to get exposed?
"One option is the use of a military that's able to plan and move. So that's why I put it on the table. I think it's an important debate for Congress to have."
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Bush said he was concerned and involved in planning for an influenza pandemic, which experts say will definitely come, although they cannot predict when or whether it will be H5N1 or some other virus.
"And I think the president ought to have all options on the table to understand what the consequences are -- all assets on the table, not options -- assets on the table to be able to deal with something this significant," he said.
Hmmm - Bush is involved in planning for an influenza pandemic. Like involved in planning for a war on Iraq?
all options??
What do we make of the Saturday, October 1 Washington Post headline Poison Found in Air During Anti-War Protest ?
Washington D.C. Public Health Director Greg A. Pane posed the right question in the Post article, Why that day? That's what is not explained. Pane pointed that it was just this 24-hour period and none since.
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