President Bush is expected to approve a national pandemic influenza response plan. It identifies more than 300 specific tasks for federal agencies. The White House is eager to show it could manage the medical, security and economic fallout of a major outbreak.
The background briefing and on the record interviews with experts in and out of government reveal that some agencies are far along in preparing for a deadly outbreak. According to the plan, it might be wiser to give the drugs to every person with symptoms and others in the same household.
The department has bought masks, gloves and hand sanitizers too. It has hired extra nurses and compiled a list of retired employees who could be temporarily rehired. This time much of the government’s plan relies on quick distribution of medications and vaccine.