Primate Brow Flash

WSJ article today about who should be first in line for vaccines if there is a shortage.

Ezekiel Emanuel of the National Institute of Health dared say the following:
“to maximize investment in a life plus years of life left, 13-40 year-olds should have first claim on rationed vaccine.”
Wow, some lives are worth more than others? I’m definitely going to watch how his career progresses.

In the same article:

Last year, scientists showed in a model that if you vaccinate about 60% of U.S. schoolchildren, flu deaths among the elderly would fall to 6,600 from the typical 34,000. “It’s not necessarily true that the best way to protect someone is to vaccinate that person.”, says Ira Longini of the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. “In the case of the elderly, flu vaccine doesn’t protect them very well, so breaking the chain of transmission provides greater protection.”

So, if the elderly hog all the vaccine and leave the children’s fate for nature to decide, it could actually harm them?

Out of concern for all nursing home residents who might not enjoy enough company over the holidays, I am going to start bringing busloads of schoolchildren and their pet birds for visits.

This entry was posted on Friday, October 6th, 2006 at 11:31 am and is filed under General. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.