AFL-CIO Tells Bush to Get a Plan to Protect Health Care Workers in Next Pandemic

by Tula Connell, Mar 2, 2006

It was pretty clear a few years ago that the avian flu virus, “bird flu,” had the potential to spread into a global epidemic of massive proportions. The impact of such a pandemic would be massive in its severity and scope. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has estimated that 25  percent–35 percent of the U.S. population could become sick and millions could die.  
 
But it wasn’t until a few months ago the Bush administration released its Pandemic Influenza Plan to prepare for a pandemic outbreak.
 
The plan appropriately recognizes the importance of the development of an effective vaccine, which currently does not exist.
 
But what about health care workers and first responders?
 
The Bush plan fails to provide for even basic occupational safety and health protections for health care workers and first responders. There are no requirements for appropriate respiratory protection, nor are efforts underway to stockpile the needed equipment that would protect first responders. 
 
Hurricane Katrina already gave us a good idea how “homeland security” operates under the Bush administration. That’s why the AFL-CIO Executive Council is calling on the Bush administration and Congress to

act now, to put in place the measures needed to protect healthcare workers and first responders from a pandemic influenza that will allow them to do their jobs in serving the public in the event of a national health emergency.

In December, AFSCME, which represents more than 1 million public employees across the nation, joined the AFL-CIO and other unions to petition the Occupational Safety and Health Administration to take emergency action to require employers to put in place comprehensive measures to protect heath care workers and other responders in the event of a pandemic outbreak. But to date, there has been no acknowledgement or response. 
 
Looks like we need a video showing when Bush got briefed on the impending crisis. Or as Jay Leno would say: “What Bush didn’t know and when didn’t he know it.”
 

		Become a Fan on Facebook			Follow Us on Twitter			Subscribe to YouTube			Subscribe to Blog RSS

Print This Article | E-Mail This Article |Comments (0)