Wilson responded that not only should Obama halt any plans to donate portions of America’s vaccine supply, he should also be held accountable for the government’s lack of preparedness.
“Our first duty is to the United States,” Wilson said. “It’s my concern that actually the H1N1 [virus] was determined to be a threat to the United States – because of what occurred in Mexico – in March.”
As for the vaccine shortage, “This is during the term of the President [Obama], and I believe the president should be held responsible that the government was not prepared, and we have millions of Americans who are at risk today,” said Wilson.
However, the reality of the problem lies in two specific areas. First, the lack of enough reagents at vaccine manufacturers. These chemicals can be used to determine how high or low of a yield you have for your final product. Secondly, there were machine glitches that caused a bottle-neck effect during the packaging process. The CDC and manufacturers have been working on these issues since mid-October.
The speed with which this particular strain of flu virus speed was handled as best as it could have been, aside from a mass quarantine all around the country. Basic preparedness was implemented and the CDC got to work on the vaccines. It was the manufacturers NOT the administration that caused the shortage.
Wilson's rationale is poorly conceived and easily debunked.
And though he speaks of this instance happening during Obama's term, it should be noted that Bush didn't exactly have a sterling reputation when it came to Avian Flu and the preparedness that Congressman Wilson is speaking of. And budget cuts within the public-health sector, as well job loses, have certainly played their part in this as well.
Hey Congressman Wilson, then these cuts and layoff started happening, it was 2008. Who was it that was President back then?
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