by Jennifer Griffin, Brian
Wilson and The Associated Press
July 29, 2009
from
FOXNews Website
The Advisory
Committee on Immunization Practices voted to set
vaccination priorities for certain groups Wednesday
during a meeting in Atlanta as the Pentagon prepares to
help the Federal Emergency Management Agency tackle a
potential outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall. |
Cody Meissner, left,
and Lance Chilton look on during a meeting of the
Advisory Committee on
Immunization at the Centers for Disease Control and prevention
Wednesday, July 29,
2009, in Atlanta. (AP)
The Pentagon is preparing to make troops
available if necessary to help the Federal Emergency Management
Agency (FEMA)
tackle a potential outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall, FOX News
has confirmed.
This comes as a government panel recommends certain groups be placed
at the front of the line for swine flu vaccinations this fall,
including pregnant women, health care workers and children six
months and older.
The Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices panel also
said those first vaccinated should include parents and other
caregivers of infants; non-elderly adults who have high-risk medical
conditions, and young adults ages 19 to 24. The panel, whose
recommendations typically are adopted by federal health officials,
voted to set vaccination priorities for those groups Wednesday
during a meeting in Atlanta.
Obama administration officials told Congress that H1N1 vaccinations
won't be available for several months.
Defense Secretary Robert Gates is preparing to sign an order
authorizing the military to set up five regional teams to deal with
the potential outbreak of H1N1 influenza if FEMA requests help.
A senior U.S. defense official told FOX News that the plan calls for
military task forces to work in conjunction with the FEMA. No final
decision has been reached on how the military effort would be
manned, but one source said it likely would include personnel from
all branches of the military.
It is not known how many troops would be needed and whether they
would come from the active duty or the National Guard and Reserve
forces.
In the event of a major outbreak, civilian authorities would lead
any relief efforts, the official said. The military, as it would for
a natural disaster or other significant emergency situation, could
provide support and fulfill any tasks that civilian authorities
could not, such as air transport or testing of large numbers of
viral samples from infected patients.
As a first step, military leaders have asked Gates to authorize
planning for the potential assistance.
Orders to deploy actual forces would be reviewed later, depending on
how much of a health threat the flu poses this fall, the officials
said.
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