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Showing posts from November 2, 2014

WHERE IS OUR EBOLA CZAR? (From Lebanon Daily Record Nov 1, 2014)

Has anyone seen our Ebola Czar?  No, not Ron Klain.  (Although no one has seen him yet either as I write this on Thursday afternoon.  But more about that later.) But I’m talking about the one we have had since 2009.     Her name is Dr. Nicole Lurie.   She is an assistant secretary in the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) and her job is   “to lead the nation in preventing, responding to and recovering from the adverse health effects of public health emergencies and disasters, ranging from hurricanes to bioterrorism.” Her job description is to help the country prepare for emergencies including the responsibility of developing  “the countermeasures - the medicines or vaccines that people might need to use in a public health emergency”.   She has been referred to as the “highest ranking federal official in charge of preparing the nation to face such health crises as earthquakes, hurricanes, terrorist attacks, and pandemic influenza.” In 2004 Congress passed The Project