The Flu

Last week I wrote a long post on the Bush Administration's lack of accountability, specifically relating to the repeat of a flu vaccine shortage. Blogger chewed up my work, but Intel Dump brings it up again, citing a WSJ article speculating about the economic impact of a potential doubling of flu cases this year. I think this only adds to the case that public health is intertwined with national security (see previous Intel Dump) and economics in a way that makes it a public responsibility. Chef Ragout had a good summary of why shortages are not the fault of either litigation or overregulation. ID's Phillip Carter seems resigned to this year's folly being intractable at the policy level, and I agree that at this point it's upto individuals and community groups to try and decrease the flu-risk through less high tech measures. To that end I direct you to a vintage WWI-era public health poster (via Medpundit), and some more contemporary PDF posters from CARD: wash your hands and sneeze into your elbows! Pass 'em on. (And please support groups like CARD, which help look after vulnerable groups like the elderly.)