What If a Flu Breaks Out When CDC Can’t Track It
This article is for subscribers only.
Oct. 13 (Bloomberg) -- As director of the U.S. Centers forDisease Control and Prevention during the last governmentshutdown, in 1995-1996, I can attest to the very real potentialfor unnecessary pain, suffering and death when the work ofpublic-health officials is curtailed.
As a consequence of the current shutdown, the CDC has beenrequired to furlough two-thirds of its staff, leaving only 4,000people to conduct vital public-health responsibilities. Thistranslates into reduced protection for Americans. Here are justa few examples: