Federal shutdown closes CDC labs, inspections

By Richard M. Barron richard.barron@news-record.com

GREENSBORO — North Carolina is ready and open for business as the flu season begins.

The state’s Department of Health and Human Services is fully stocked with flu vaccine.

Officials are also monitoring the number and severity of cases to alert hospitals and physicians.

But the state’s system has limitations.

Normally, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention provides backup.

But not now. Most of the CDC’s sophisticated labs are closed during the federal government shutdown, which is in its third week.

That will create serious gaps in the nation’s ability to regulate and respond to large flu outbreaks and attacks of other, more frightening diseases, a former director of the CDC wrote in a Bloomberg essay published Sunday.

North Carolina’s hospitals are part of a state database that monitors flu outbreaks every day, said Julie Henry, a spokeswoman for the state Department of Health and Human Services.

Hospitals and some physician practices log every person they see with flu-like symptoms into the ILI Surveillance Network — ILI is Influenza Like Illness — which keeps a live tally.

If needed, the N.C. State Laboratory of Public Health can use that data to do more tests to help medical authorities respond quickly to outbreaks, such as the H1N1 flu virus in 2009. The virus surprised doctors who had prepared vaccines that didn’t include the new strain.

“They had to do a separate vaccine,” Henry said. “A lot of people were affected.”

North Carolina has an additional layer of protection called N.C. Detect for collecting information about epidemics and unusual outbreaks. N.C. Detect is about 10 years old and was designed to help the state respond quickly to such diseases as avian flu and even acts of bioterrorism.

Still, the CDC does the most sophisticated disease research in the nation.

And, for the moment, it’s closed.

http://www.news-record.com/news/local_news/article_c5d5446a-3541-11...

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Permalink Reply by Cryptocurrency on October 15, 2013 at 3:32pm

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Permalink Reply by Cryptocurrency on October 15, 2013 at 3:34pm

CDC Director: 'Microbes Didn't Shut Down' - Washington Wire - WSJ

(REUTERS/CDC/Handout). The government may be closed for business, but Ebola, listeria, and other nasty microbes aren't, says the agency

CDC, closed with government shutdown, unable to monitor start of ...

CDC, closed with government shutdown, unable to monitor start of flu season.

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Permalink Reply by Nobody Will Observe on October 15, 2013 at 3:36pm

Lions and Tigers and Flu, Oh my! ;)

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Permalink Reply by Deep Space on October 15, 2013 at 4:30pm

CDC = Center for Disease Contraction

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Permalink Reply by apeman2502 on October 15, 2013 at 5:29pm

The federal government shut-down built up the uniformed leather boys but cut those agencies most concerned with health and food safety and recreation. Face it. If you voted for Obama, you can't dump it here. Your mess is in Washington, D.C.. Help clean it up or I PERSONALLY, will see to it you get the bill.

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Permalink Reply by Deep Space on October 15, 2013 at 5:32pm

I wasn't aware that the government had any agencies concerned with health and food safety.

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Permalink Reply by Amaterasu Solar on October 15, 2013 at 6:10pm

Frankly, I am more afraid of the "vaccine" than the flu.

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Permalink Reply by Cryptocurrency on October 15, 2013 at 6:28pm

I never get a flu shot. No way. I guess for some, the risks for not getting it may out weigh the complications associated with the flu shot, but my immune system is pretty strong, and I'm youthful enough to not have any real concerns of landing myself in a hospital bed.

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Permalink Reply by Cryptocurrency on October 15, 2013 at 6:14pm

The CDC does perform a vital function for health and safety in this country. This government shutdown has put Americans at a far greater risk of contracting a potentially life changing pathogen. Most of the CDC labs are close. Government officials (public servants) have out stayed their welcome in Washignton D.C and thank God for the courage of these protesting Veterans leading the gathering masses. It's about damn time.