Kathianne
07-18-2009, 05:17 AM
Something the government is supposed to do regarding health care:
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1642970020090716
UPDATE 1-Obama earmarks $1.8 billion for swine flu fight
Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:13pm EDT
(Updates throughout with quotes, details)
WASHINGTON, July 16 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama designated $1.825 billion on Thursday for emergency use to fight the new pandemic of H1N1 swine flu.
The money will go to buy vaccine ingredients, to help health officials plan immunization campaigns and to help get the vaccines approved at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Obama said in a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"To enhance our nation's capability to respond to the potential spread of this outbreak, and in accordance with the appropriation, I hereby designate $1.825 billion of the contingent appropriation as emergency funds required to address critical needs related to emerging influenza viruses (specifically, the virus known as 2009-H1N1)," Obama wrote.
The money comes from $7.65 billion Congress already appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for the swine flu pandemic.
The World Health Organization said earlier on Thursday that the H1N1 flu pandemic was the fastest-moving ever and that it was now pointless to count every case.
WHO said at least 50 governments have placed orders for vaccines and WHO vaccine chief Marie-Paule Kieny told Reuters the potential global value of the market was estimated at between $10 billion and $20 billion.
The potential of the virus looks very scary:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/5846488/British-swine-flu-death-toll-reaches-29.html
Swine flu: Britain's death toll hits 29 and may reach 65,000
Britain's swine flu death toll has reached 29, health officials have disclosed as the challenge facing the NHS was laid bare.
By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent
Published: 11:00PM BST 16 Jul 2009
In the past week an estimated 55,000 people have come down with the virus, with 652 being treated in hospital, many wards full of children, and 53 patients in a critical condition.
Some GPs are seeing up to 60 cases each a day, with one in nine people predicted to be infected by the end of next month.
British swine flu death toll reaches 29
Swine flu: routine operations must be put on hold, say leading doctors
The number of deaths from the disease has more than doubled in a week. Last Friday just 14 people were known to have died as a result of becoming infected. Last night it was announced that a six-year-old boy died in Kent on Wednesday after contracting the virus.
On Thursday Prof Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, told the NHS to plan for the possibility of up to 65,000 deaths from the disease this winter – although he said as few as 19,000 could occur...
in the U.S this winter. Sir Liam’s low-range estimate was 19,000 deaths, which would still translate into 85,500 U.S. deaths.
http://www.reuters.com/article/marketsNews/idUSN1642970020090716
UPDATE 1-Obama earmarks $1.8 billion for swine flu fight
Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:13pm EDT
(Updates throughout with quotes, details)
WASHINGTON, July 16 (Reuters) - President Barack Obama designated $1.825 billion on Thursday for emergency use to fight the new pandemic of H1N1 swine flu.
The money will go to buy vaccine ingredients, to help health officials plan immunization campaigns and to help get the vaccines approved at the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, Obama said in a letter to House of Representatives Speaker Nancy Pelosi.
"To enhance our nation's capability to respond to the potential spread of this outbreak, and in accordance with the appropriation, I hereby designate $1.825 billion of the contingent appropriation as emergency funds required to address critical needs related to emerging influenza viruses (specifically, the virus known as 2009-H1N1)," Obama wrote.
The money comes from $7.65 billion Congress already appropriated to the Department of Health and Human Services for the swine flu pandemic.
The World Health Organization said earlier on Thursday that the H1N1 flu pandemic was the fastest-moving ever and that it was now pointless to count every case.
WHO said at least 50 governments have placed orders for vaccines and WHO vaccine chief Marie-Paule Kieny told Reuters the potential global value of the market was estimated at between $10 billion and $20 billion.
The potential of the virus looks very scary:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/health/swine-flu/5846488/British-swine-flu-death-toll-reaches-29.html
Swine flu: Britain's death toll hits 29 and may reach 65,000
Britain's swine flu death toll has reached 29, health officials have disclosed as the challenge facing the NHS was laid bare.
By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent
Published: 11:00PM BST 16 Jul 2009
In the past week an estimated 55,000 people have come down with the virus, with 652 being treated in hospital, many wards full of children, and 53 patients in a critical condition.
Some GPs are seeing up to 60 cases each a day, with one in nine people predicted to be infected by the end of next month.
British swine flu death toll reaches 29
Swine flu: routine operations must be put on hold, say leading doctors
The number of deaths from the disease has more than doubled in a week. Last Friday just 14 people were known to have died as a result of becoming infected. Last night it was announced that a six-year-old boy died in Kent on Wednesday after contracting the virus.
On Thursday Prof Sir Liam Donaldson, the Chief Medical Officer, told the NHS to plan for the possibility of up to 65,000 deaths from the disease this winter – although he said as few as 19,000 could occur...
in the U.S this winter. Sir Liam’s low-range estimate was 19,000 deaths, which would still translate into 85,500 U.S. deaths.