[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 151 (2005), Part 18]
[House]
[Page 23970]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                           CONCERN--NOT PANIC

  (Mr. PRICE of Georgia asked and was given permission to address the 
House for 1 minute.)
  Mr. PRICE of Georgia. Madam Speaker, have you seen the headlines:
  Bird Flu Anxiety Spreads Across Europe.
  Bird Flu Could Kill 150 Million People.
  WHO Warns of Dire Flu Pandemic.
  Media should report facts, not create panic. Unfortunately, today 
many of the stories we see and read are short on facts and long on 
panic. It is time we brought some sanity to all the sensationalism. No 
one should doubt the potential of the bird flu. However, responsible 
people are working diligently to be certain that we are prepared for 
any threat and are able to respond quickly.
  Certain facts are important to keep in mind. This Avian flu virus has 
been around since at least 1997. It is not a new phenomenon. The CDC 
states that ``the current risk to Americans is low.'' So there is cause 
for concern, but not panic. Our real concern should be expanded. We 
need to address our ability to respond to any infectious disease. 
Providing incentives to U.S.-based companies for vaccine production and 
building a routine adult immunization program are just two of the 
positive steps we should take. Importantly, these actions should move 
forward in an environment of concern, not panic.

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