What so proudly we're blind to . .

Everywhere except the US, it seems, the threat of epidemic disease is seen for what it truly is: a bigger threat than terrorism. Even in terror-stricken London, via its emergency Cobra Committee, they understand the toll from an influenza pandemic would dwarf almost any conceivable terrorist event, even one with a so-called Weapon of Mass Destruction. The UK government has announced it will tender orders for a vaccine stockpile. Unfortunately, while they "get it," they "got it" too late:

Despite this, the Government and other industrialised nations' handling of the situation has been criticised: some experts doubt that relying on a vaccine would have any short-term effects as the exact strain of virus would not be known until the pandemic struck.

Dr Douglas Fleming, the Royal College of General Practitioners' 'flu spokesman, is among those who have given a cautious welcome.

The vaccine tender was an important step, he said, particularly with the hope that a vaccine from an H5 virus could offer some protection from a range of H5 virus variants.

But he added: "Whilst we should regard that as prudent, we nevertheless should recognise that it is highly speculative. We know antiviral drugs have been ordered as a stockpile but manufacturing capacity is such that these cannot be delivered very quickly.

"I do not know what the delivery conditions attached to this vaccine order are. The human cases of bird flu have been serious and I think we should support this action even though its value is speculative."

But he added: "Whilst we should regard that as prudent, we nevertheless should recognise that it is highly speculative. We know antiviral drugs have been ordered as a stockpile but manufacturing capacity is such that these cannot be delivered very quickly.

"I do not know what the delivery conditions attached to this vaccine order are. The human cases of bird flu have been serious and I think we should support this action even though its value is speculative." (The Daily Mail)

Oh, well. Nevermind.

In Asia, too, the light has gone on:

An Asia expert says disease and natural disasters may pose a greater security threat to the region than conventional political conflicts.

The Asia Pacific Security Outlook is an annual survey of all security concerns facing Asia, from North Korea's nuclear weapons programs to Chinese relations with the United States and Taiwan.

Speaking in Hong Kong Friday, the report's editor, Richard Morrison, said the primary regional threat for the second half of the year is non-military and non-traditional.
Mr. Morrison, president of the Honolulu-based East-West Center, says disease and natural disasters threaten the entire Asia Pacific region, with potentially catastrophic results. (Asia Bulletin)

So where don't they get it yet?

"Oh-h say, can't you see . . . By the dawn's early light"?