Bush Outlines Flu Remedies
Says Pandemic Is Likely, Calls For Better Detection, Vaccines
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Play CBS Video Video Bush's Bird Flu Blueprint Web Exclusive: CBS News' John Roberts reports on President Bush's address at the National Institutes of Health, where he outlined his plan for combating a possible Avian flu pandemic.
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Video Bush Lays Out Bird Flu Plan John Roberts reports that the president has proposed a $7.1 billion program to detect and respond to any human outbreak of bird flu in the United States.
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Video Poultry Protection Elizabeth Kaledin reports from a poultry lab farm shrouded in secrecy, where strong precautions are being taken to help protect the multi-billion dollar industry from bird flu.
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President Bush outlines his plan, Nov. 1, 2005 (AP)
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Mildred Herron walks out of her chicken coop after feeding her Rhode Island Reds on Monday, Oct. 31, 2005, near Guthrie Center, Iowa. (AP)
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A Chinese salesclerk adjusts a protective mask on a colleague displaying outfits, shoes, gloves and goggles that can be used by people coming in contact with birds at a store in Beijing, China, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005. (AP)
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A dove flies away at sunset in Shanghai, China, Tuesday, Nov. 1, 2005. (AP)
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Interactive Fighting The Flu Health and vaccine information, photos and outbreak history
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Interactive Bird Flu Soars Follow the spread of the virus around the globe, find out about the threat to humans and get details about U.S. preparations
Bird flu has been documented in Asia and has spread to Europe but has not reached the United States, the president said. "Our country has been given fair warning of this danger to our homeland and time to prepare," he said.
The administration plan, to be released in more detail on Wednesday, calls for more than stockpiling shots.
"The first part of our strategy is to detect outbreaks before they spread across the world," whether caused by the worrisome Asian bird flu or some other super-strain of influenza, Mr. Bush said.
It will also stress a new method of manufacturing flu vaccines - growing the virus to make them in easy-to-handle cell cultures instead of today's cumbersome process that uses millions of chicken eggs - as well as incentives for new U.S.-based vaccine factories to open.
Such steps will take several years to implement, but the hope is that eventually they could allow production of enough vaccine to go around within six months of a pandemic's start.
"The notion is that prevention beats therapy," said Dr. William Schaffner of Vanderbilt University, an influenza specialist who advises the government on vaccination and has received some information about the plan.
Hoping to spur the long-awaited pandemic plan, the Senate last week passed $8 billion in emergency funding for President Bush to spend on the preparations.
©MMV CBS Broadcasting Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report.
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