With all the damage to New Orleans, much as been written about all the things that can (and will, thanks to the 1600 Crew) go wrong in the Big Easy and other places. I was wondering what the risks and/or incidence of infectious diseases will be with all the sewage and other stuff (bodies from graveyards in N.O.?) that got "floated" as Katrina passed.
I'm sure that precautions have been taken for "normal" sever weather events, but Katrina was sort of a worst-case scenario beyond the reckoning of even really pessimistic disaster planners, I think.
Anyone have any idea? How well prepared is the CDC and other health authorities to deal with that if it becomes a threat?
Just curious....
posted by Jo Fish on 08.30.05 at 05:56 PM
Comments:
Every mosquito born disease, every disease associated with defective sewers, every disease associated with bad food...
One of the two general hospitals is closed, and the second may be closed at any time because of rising waters.
I haven't heard of any major Federal moves to set-up additional health facilities, and the closest source of military assistance outside the affected area at NAS Pensacola & Eglin AFB are deployed at the moment.
Happy Half Century, Jo and give up on expecting these people to act like leaders.
I recommend donations to Direct Relief International. They specialize in medical needs of disaster areas (usually in international terms, but they do national)
The Preznit and Donnie have gotten, through FEMA, a unified request from the states affected, the use of any "non-deployed, deployable Reserve and Active-duty Army, Navy, Air Force, US Public Health Service assets, especially Army and Guard MASH units and Air-evac and SAR-capable units, not deployed in support of the ongoing Global war on Terror."
I heard the Department of Homeland Security has declared itself the "primary federal agency" in health emergencies, putting itself head and shoulders above HHS, CDC and other old-fashioned agencies...
