Mercatus Policy Series

Preparing for Pandemic Flu

April, 2009
Authors: 
Tyler Cowen

Since 2006, Congress has allocated millions of dollars to preparations for an influenza pandemic. While preparation for a pandemic has improved somewhat, such preparation needs to occur in ways that are politically sustainable and remain useful even if a pandemic does not occur. First, Americans need to accept that we can’t “stop” a pandemic; we can only lessen its effects. Second, we need to acknowledge in our policies that the best response to such disasters is a decentralized one.


Source URL: https://ppe.mercatus.org/publications/healthcare/preparing-pandemic-flu
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