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The CDC doesn't do much (any?) local testing but they established ridiculously stringent guidelines for having people tested. There was a case in NYC over the

The CDC doesn't do much (any?) local testing but they established ridiculously stringent guidelines for having people tested. There was a case in NYC over the weekend from a man who had recently returned from a trip to Japan. The CDC wouldn't test him because Japan wasn't on the list at the time and so his case didn't meet their overly strict criteria. The hospital discharged him and he went home... on the subway. Flu symptoms but no flu, recently traveled to a country with community spread, and the CDC said he didn't qualify for a test kit. According to the CDC there were no cases in NYC until yesterday but that is almost certainly a lie. The quoted numbers from the CDC are completely worthless. This lack of transparency and accountability is causing people to panic more than they might otherwise. And now that proper testing is finally (maybe?) getting underway we're likely to see the number of cases skyrocket which will cause people to freak out even more. This panic response from the general public could have been and could still be avoided if the CDC and the federal government would just be open, honest, and transparent with people. But they aren't. They are tripping over themselves relentlessly which is causing panic and stirring conspiracy theorists.

simonh 7y ago
I agree completely, the response internally, and co-ordination with international agencies have both been woeful. My point is that this is hardly surprising considering 80% of their budget for international operations was cut, along with their NSC representation and a handful of their most senior positions responsible for pandemic response. What effect would you expect that to have, when within a year or two of that happening suddenly there's an international health crisis and pandemic? The CDC, WHO and health care experts all over the world have been saying it's only a matter of time before something like this happens again ever since swine flu, MERS and SARS, but they have been treated like scare mongers and jumped up welfare programs by politicians. Of course they're not up to the task. If they're going to be sidelined, derided and de-funded how on earth could they be?

simonh 7y ago

I agree completely, the response internally, and co-ordination with international agencies have both been woeful. My point is that this is hardly surprising considering 80% of their budget for international operations was cut, along with their NSC representation and a handful of their most senior positions responsible for pandemic response. What effect would you expect that to have, when within a year or two of that happening suddenly there's an international health crisis and pandemic? The CDC, WHO and health care experts all over the world have been saying it's only a matter of time before something like this happens again ever since swine flu, MERS and SARS, but they have been treated like scare mongers and jumped up welfare programs by politicians. Of course they're not up to the task. If they're going to be sidelined, derided and de-funded how on earth could they be?