EU plans, and the US . . . ?

It's a good thing bird flu can't come to the US or we'd have to be doing what the EU is doing, plan for it. The Dutch and Germans are going to move their domestic poultry industry inside to reduce the risk of infection by wild migratory birds. Italy is talking about tightening import restrictions and heightened surveillance. The French, the UK and the Ausrians are apparently imitating the US, i.e., doing very little about protecting poultry from migratory birds, despite the fact that they have a large free range poultry populations.

Tomorrow (Thursday, August 25) EU veterinary expects meet in Brussels to discuss whether the Union should go further.

“If there is a majority of member states in favour of doing more, we will look at doing more,” said a commission spokesman on Monday.

[snip]

The European Commission is pushing national capitals to speed up public health contingency measures and to stockpile anti-viral drugs.

EU member states are not required to notify Brussels of plans to cope with a deadly new human flu outbreak triggered by the bird virus and some have yet to do so.

“We are engaged in discussions with members states and industry so that all members states are as prepared as possible for a pandemic,” said the commission spokesman.

“It is not our business to blame, the great majority have put in action plans. Our job is to encourage them if they do not have plans.” (via EUPolitix.com)

Well, we here at EM don't have any restrictions on not blaming governments. So we say, to George Bush and his federal health establishment, as politely and quietly as we think appropriate: WHAT THE FUCK ARE YOU WAITING FOR? GET YOUR ASS IN GEAR!