Flu proposal called 'colossal foolishness'


Flu proposal called 'colossal foolishness'

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Re “Bush’s Flu Plan Stresses Vaccine,” Nov. 2 I could drain the English language dry in describing the colossal foolishness of President Bush’s plan to vaccinate 20 million Americans against


the current strain of avian flu. Why so? Because the current strain of avian flu, due to its lack of human-to-human transmissibility, poses no significant threat. The virus must mutate to


achieve the feared scenario of rapid human-to-human transmission while retaining its lethal potential. Vaccination against the current strain will most likely provide little to no protection


whatsoever against the new, deadly, mutated strain. In short, we’ll have wasted huge amounts of money, effort and resources on the wrong target. GARY N. GARSHFIELD MD _Irvine_ _*_ Re


“Preparing for the worst,” editorial, Nov. 2 You say: “It’s unusual for a U.S. president to ask for so much money to prepare for a disaster that isn’t likely to occur during his


administration. There is no avian flu in the United States, and there may never be.... Bush is right to try to address the problem now.” What about global warming -- when does that get


addressed? Or was it more dramatic with low poll numbers to put on his “fright” wig and act like he stands between us and all terror? Halloween is over. Let’s unmask him for the charlatan he


is. GRACE ADAMS _Palm Desert_ MORE TO READ