Looking For A CatalystTo anyone expecting that Secretary Leavitt would step up to the podium yesterday, wave a magic wand, and radically change government pandemic policies, I suppose yesterday’s summit was a bit of a disappointment. Magic wands are in short supply in Washington, and rarely are Cabinet Level officials issued one. They must, regrettably, rely on mere mortal powers when running a Federal agency. For many of us though, despite not quite knowing what to expect out of yesterday’s proceedings, I think we came away at least a little impressed. Yesterday’s summit wasn’t about issuing guidelines or official pronouncements, it was about engaging the private, business, and faith based sectors in a dialog on the need for pandemic awareness. It was about seeding a grassroots movement, something quite out of character for a government agency. In fact, in some ways, it could be viewed as revolutionary. While one could carp that this comes 18 months too late, and that we’ve wasted precious time, those observations only come with the advantage of hindsight. When the HHS put up the www.pandemicflu.gov advisory site in late 2005, they undoubtedly believed, if they built it, people would come. After all this was the all powerful Internet! And some people did come, just not the droves of Americans they were expecting. I suppose, if the government had promoted the site as containing “Barely Legal” information, and that all pandemic projection models were at least 18 years of age, they might have driven up their numbers. But it would hardly have been befitting a government website. No one could anticipate that the media, usually known for doggedly beating a dead horse, would abandon the bird flu issue so easily. After all, a pandemic has all the elements of a great story; a potential for death, disaster, the shaking of the very foundations of some nations . . . . why, it ought to have played in every newspaper and magazine non-stop for years. But it didn’t. After a brief initial furor early in 2006, when a pandemic didn’t break out, the newspapers forgot about it. The story, admittedly, isn’t an easy one for the mass media to cover. It often moves at a glacier pace, much of the `action’ occurs in remote areas of the world where few reporters have access, and with the exception of a few dedicated flubies, most of the public simply doesn’t care about the latest genetic sequences or the seroprevalence studies on cats in Jakarta. We hear more about the Natalie Holloway murder, now two years passed, than we do avian flu on some news networks. Paris and Britany will sell papers and boost ratings, so there is no need to devote precious resources and airtime to a story like bird flu. At least not until something dramatic happens. Thankfully, we’ve got a few good reporters out there. Stalwarts like Helen Branswell and Maryn Mckenna, who provide serious reporting on the subject. But few citizens read these articles, and meanwhile, headlines disingenuously report on vaccine breakthroughs and States declaring they are `ready’ for a pandemic. And in Washington, pandemic preparedness is basically an orphan issue. Few politicians will mention it, and since it doesn’t resonate with the media, or the citizens, few are likely to embrace it. It’s no wonder that the perception out there is that a pandemic isn’t a problem. All of this must, I imagine, be a great frustration to those at the HHS. They obviously want to get the word out to the American people, and appear to be stymied by a lack of public and media interest. I don’t think they saw that coming. And to be honest, it is one of the perpetual gripes of flublogia, “Why doesn’t the media cover this!” Not being privy to the internal workings of the HHS, I can only assume that after 18 months of relative inaction by the public, and being virtually ignored by the mainstream media, desperate times have inspired desperate actions. Or if not desperate, at least innovative. If the media is largely ambivalent, and the public apathetic, then no amount of cheer leading from the sidelines by the HHS is likely to make much headway. Funding for pandemic preparedness projects will be slow in coming, because the public isn’t demanding it, and the newspapers aren’t editorializing for it. Politicians, seeing no upside to talking about a pandemic, will remain silent and leave it to agency heads to do the talking. And of course, the agencies are hamstrung by a basic lack of public support. The only solution is to go to the people, and get them involved. By bringing in community leaders, and instilling in them the need to go forth and spread the word on our need to prepare, hopefully they can create a groundswell of public action. Only then will the news media decide this is a story worth covering, and only then will politicians see it is to their advantage to promote pandemic preparedness. Granted, it’s a roundabout way to make something happen, but given the lack of traction the message has achieved in the last 18 months, it makes sense to try it. Since the top-down model hasn’t worked as well as they hoped, might as well add some bottom-up strategy. Perhaps the two can meet somewhere in the middle. While I know many were expecting more out of all of this, I think we maybe got more than we realize. We’ve got a clear clarion call from the Secretary of HHS, to go forth into our communities and spread the pandemic awareness message. We’ve been validated, at least unofficially, as being partners in the national effort to prepare for a pandemic. And our voices, for the first time, have been heard on this issue. I suspect we may have surprised a few folks with our knowledge, our passion, and our dedication. The reality is; no one is going to get everything they want out of this leadership summit. Many questions will go unanswered, many policy decisions will be withheld pending consultation and review, and concrete results may yet be months away. This experiment, like all experiments, was conducted without knowing in advance what the end result would be. The HHS is mixing ingredients, looking for a catalyst that will spark a reaction among previously inert components. Praying for cold fusion in a test tube. We can be that catalyst. Regardless of how we feel about what has, or hasn’t been done to date by government agencies, we can take the lead in our communities and promote pandemic awareness. If enough of us do that, we can start a groundswell around the nation, and hopefully show the rest of the world how it is done. To me, that sounds like a win. For those ready to wash their hands of involvement if the HHS doesn’t advocate 90 days stockpiling, allow me to suggest that as private citizens, we have the latitude to augment official recommendations with personal advice and knowledge. Freedom of speech is a wonderful thing, is it not? And most people who hear the message of `at least two-weeks’, and then are presented with the rest of the facts of life during a severe pandemic, will add 2+2. We needn’t beat them over the head with the obvious. The important thing is to get the basic message out. Any litmus test, however well intentioned, that prevents that from happening is simply counterproductive. No, we’ve not arrived at any final solutions, and the path before us won’t be an easy one. Going forth into our communities to spread the pandemic preparedness message may involve some personal sacrifice. But if a pandemic brings what many of us fear; this could well be the most important jobs of our lives.
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I suspect we may have surprised a few folks with our knowledge, our passion, and our dedication.
Some were surprised, but I was surprised by how many already knew.
Dialogue isn’t a work product. One of the first questions asked after the summit by a reporter at the (very brief) press conference was “where’s the tangibles?” and it was a fair question. Part of the answer is that the planning is more valuable than plans because the connections made between people sitting down together are more important than a looseleaf that sits on a shelf gathering dust after production. We also get the legitimacy we asked for, repeatedly, and that was one of our goals. But the main parts of this won’t be seen immediately. HHS is working on toolkits of awareness, and our input (and their listening to what the different sectors want and need) was a key component of yesterday’s meeting, along with the commitment of the assemblage to carry through and bring the message to their sectors. They will likely be ready by fall, but the support is there prior to that role out (they are only tools to help, and we’d have to adapt them in any case).
I have the easy job there, I guess.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 7:22 amThank you Michael,
As usual you get this ‘Second Wind’of enthousiasm that we, ‘Old Timers and Stubborn Tenacious Devotees’ in pandemic preparedness recurantly need.
This government pandemic blog is unique in many aspects.
Remembe 2 or 3 years ago, those uninformed deciders did look at us as ‘Prophets of Doom’, few years later, they gather together and some try to reinvent the wheel, others promoting themselves and their so much ‘In Pertinence’, disregarding the deep waters marathonners.
But been there, done that, seen this, and again here is another slap in the face from those who are supposed to represent the ‘flubies’.
But these cheeks had so many slaps on it that it is quite thick now.
Despite the unfairness of people imbued of themselves and eager to self promotion, I, like you Michael, see more positive coming out of this than negative, but mostly the gov initiative had created an historical document, a new reference.
I read again the full blog, and we can see the True Colours of all in these comments. It is there for consultation.
As much pretentiousness one’s can see in this blog from some individuals, it is a havon of Humility at the same time.
As a first experience, reading what leaders of Services to Others share with others, it is a small step for ambitous but a huge step for the humbles.
I am personnaly impress by the tenacity and courage of Secretary Leavitt, of the Admiral and Faith Leaders.
Something good is defenitly getting out of this experiment, a step in the right direction in this look walk.
Truly
Snowy Owl
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 7:30 amwww.flutrackers.com/…
Michael Costen,
I have been reading your blog for a couple years now and I am continually impressed with your ability to sum things up in a reasonable and rational manner. You have expressed my thoughts about the meeting yesterday much more eloquently than I could. Thank You.
I think that this can be a turning point for Pandemic Preparedness but I also think that flubloggia in some ways needs to get over themselves in order to move this forward.
Pandemic flu has become such a fixture in our lives that we begin to guard it and protect it by thinking that we are the only ones who know what is best for it. Let’s face it, were not the only ones who are, can or will be experts. And that’s ok, that’s good, in fact thats great!
This morning on Fluwiki SusanC made a great point about leaving the negatives behind and moving forward to encourage more participation.
Let’s make this a fresh start. Let’s set aside our egos and concentrate on the problem at hand… saving as many lives as possible when a pandemic comes about. That is what we all want.
As you said…. I’m waiting for the catalyst… perhaps yesterday was the start. I am encouraged.
Thank You.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 8:49 amMost excellent post Michael,
An insightful summation of all that has taken place to date. I also agree with Greg in that I have observed as well what I consider pleasant surprises from both the HSS efforts and flubie community and as they say, the cream has risen to the top!
I embrace your use of the word “innovative” in our future approach to the tasks at hand. Necessity is the Mother of Invention. We are fortunate to have at our disposal many intelligent and motivated individuals who can now focus their skills to formulate truly innovative plans of attack that will jump start our communities preparations that are so long overdue.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 9:09 amI must say that I was very impressed. I actually felt at home, engaged and able to speak freely about how hard it is to get people to prepare. People know about Panflu, the hard thing is getting them to prepare for it.
The panelist who represented the faith based community, Dr. Nelson, was very impressive and it justifies what we all know that community and faith based organizations will play a very big role in the preparedness of the public and need to be supported as much as possible by HHS.
I felt feeling that it is very impressive that there is a lot of emphasis on community and individual preparedness but HHS should work harder in preparing businesses especially around HR issues. This will make the difference in successful mitigation strategies; a lot of companies are educating their employees but have not gone as far as recognizing that a special benefits package will be required for a pandemic situation.
I hope our feedback was valuable and useful in the developmnet of the toolkits.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 9:18 amMr. Coston,
I agree with many of your points. After seeing the great job civil defense did in the 1950’s with emergency shelters, bomb shelters and pre positioned food and supplies I was hoping that could be re-started not needed re-creation.
Yes “the all powerful Internet” but it is a government site. How helpful is the federal government? A lot if you work with them.
Yes, Paris Hilton’s scare about the rumor that her food would be poisoned in jail did trump most real news. We can either leave it that way or change it. At least some people are talking now. The seed is planted.
Yes a win. I still kinda feel like a ‘Prophet of Doom’ but on the HHS to Undecided citizen the facts where listed.
I hope the Admiral knows he is welcome here. Yes we are passionate but we also take a reality check. What if H5N1 does not happen, what if something else happens. Should we leave our hospitals and HCW the way they are or can we improve them?
At the end of the day some folks feel comfortable not being prepared, others feel comfortable being prepared. Can we help HHS and others learn anything valuable to make people or the country better.
Wish I had been there but there is soo very much to catch up on. We are still moving forward from here. Summer is a great time to practice your prepping skills as “camping.” The kids do not have homework so we can make bread and pizza at home.
Dr. Dworkin - thank you. I do not see how you get it all done.
To the blog moderators - thanks for working over the weekend and reading all our posts. May you be back here for round 2.
Regards,
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 9:24 amKobie
An excellent summary, Michael. In the world of healthcare, more specifically respiratory care, the interest has waned a bit for the reasons you’ve cited. As I quietly pass the word around, I feel like military pilots must feel when discussing a UFO incident. What I do get from RT/RN/MDs is, “When it becomes a serious threat, the Department of ________ will inform/notify/teach/warn us” That’s what most HCWs are waiting for before they even consider it. I suppose it is the awful ramifications. When I talk about the Indonesian mortality of ventilator cases, people close up. No One wants to hear about a no win scenario.
I do an ppt/pdf search weekly for clinical news, and I have seen a great deal of state and local health department files on surveillance. After the CDC “unexplained ARDS, travel, chicken or beef” update, this has taken off. That being the case, health departments are in a good position to begin brokering the information/data and training needed by hospitals.
In January, the Infectious Diseases Society of America published PANDEMIC AND SEASONAL INFLUENZA-PRINCIPLES FOR U. S. ACTION. tinyurl.com/382rr5
These recommendations were presumably forwarded to HHS, among others. Section 8 “Build National, Regional, and
Local Health Care Systems Capable of Responding to Mass Casualty Events”. This section addresses most of what I have discussed in my posts.
I, for one, would feel much better if I knew these recommendations were being considered, planned and implemented.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 9:55 am“This morning on Fluwiki SusanC made a great point about leaving the negatives behind and moving forward to encourage more participation.”
The postings and statements from the DHHS have all been positive.
IT’S TIME TO LEAVE THE POSITIVE BEHIND AND MOVE FORWARD TO THE UNVARNISHED FACTS AND UNTARNISHED PROJECTED OUTCOMES.
DHHS is the organization that brought to us the Tamiflu Blanket. It has supported reassortment as the primary cause of pandemic flu evolution. It has brought to us two week food preps and tuna cans under the bed. DHHS is telling us that it will be 3 to 6 months before an effective vax can be first produced, and telling us at the same time that prep’s for 2 weeks should be fine as the pandemic will be a 1 1/2 month event. (If so, why bother with a multi billion dollar vax in the first place?)
When will we look at what they say, and what they do, not what we all hope?
For those here who are American citizens, you are charged with the responsibility of rational thought. Irrespective of what DHHS says, you must vet their statements and you are obligated to speak to the inconsistencies in their approach.
Even a blog and a pandemic flu summit are dominated by minority interests and as I assess it, doesn’t come close to reaching their intended targets.
Holding a meeting of health care officials, at late Level 3 pandemic, with repeating small clusters in multiple places in the world, is LATE and proves the fact that the message has not been well delivered by DHHS over the past 2 years. Two years ago, CIDRAP held a much more substantial 2 day meeting in Minneapolis. Many of the same HC officials were at that meeting, weren’t they? Probably redundancy helps, but it does nothing to reach the affected citizenry or to protect the rest of the industries who seriously do count during a pandemic.
If there is nobody who is pointing out that the DHHS kings are in their underwear, prior to the virus being recognized as early Level 4, when will be the right time for the “negative”?
Is it not true that the DHHS missed its target this time? Inviting LDS leadership to tell the world what it has been doing for decades, long prior to pandemic flu is valuable, but it has nothing to do with the succinctly stated, longstanding recognition by World Health Org’n, that the industries and supply chains associated with the following areas of human activity are the pivot areas on which the USA and the world will or will not survive severe pandemia intact: POWER, TRANSPORTATION, WATER, SANITATION, and as side, observer groups, food and medicine.
Next time, DHHS would do better bringing together 1000 of those officials and senior officers and saying to them, “the very health of our society depends on your rapid implementation of tested operational plans during pandemia”.
FedEx should be their canary in the cage. FedEx itself has no viable, implementable solution at this time, so it was stated, to protect its quarter million employee infrastructure.
H5N1 can’t wait forever for those plans to be made and actions to be taken. However, it appears DHHS thinks it can.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 10:14 amThis government pandemic blog is unique and excellent. I appreciate the view on the issues. Thanks a lot.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 10:31 amMichael. I believe you deserve the last word on the subject…and as always,from my point of view, you have risen above.
Thanks.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 10:42 amI very much disagree with some of the statements in this post of Mr. Coston’s.:
Looking For A Catalyst by Michael Coston
QUOTE:”Yesterday’s summit wasn’t about issuing guidelines or official pronouncements, it was about engaging the private, business, and faith based sectors in a dialog on the need for pandemic awareness. It was about seeding a grassroots movement, something quite out of character for a government agency.”
WHO was CHOSEN to attend this Leadership Forum? How were they chosen?
If they want to seed a grassroots movement, they should have INVITED some “grassroots” WILLING AND ACTIVE people.
QUOTE: “But few citizens read these articles, and meanwhile, headlines disingenuously report on vaccine breakthroughs and States declaring they are `ready’ for a pandemic.”
The SOURCE of these complacency inducing articles and headlines have been and still are—–the DHHS, CDC, PR firms, and business sector leaders!
QUOTE: “All of this must, I imagine, be a great frustration to those at the HHS. They obviously want to get the word out to the American people, and appear to be stymied by a lack of public and media interest. I don’t think they saw that coming.”
What on earth? What evidence do you have that OBVIOUSLY the “frustrated” DHHS has even tried to inform the public?
QUOTE: “Politicians, seeing no upside to talking about a pandemic, will remain silent and leave it to agency heads to do the talking. And of course, the agencies are hamstrung by a basic lack of public support.”
WHAT ON EARTH? I am afraid the Top-down model has not worked because the Top had nothing clear and serious to say to the news media—not the other way around.
Show me ANY clear message from DHHS or CDC that SERIOUS preparation for a pandemic must be done NOW. Have they ever even considered a press conference?
QUOTE:”We’ve got a clear clarion call from the Secretary of HHS, to go forth into our communities and spread the pandemic awareness message. We’ve been validated, at least unofficially, as being partners in the national effort to prepare for a pandemic. And our voices, for the first time, have been heard on this issue.”
Where is the clarion call you are speaking of? It is not in the news media.
How have we been validated? Do you think posting on a blog hardly anyone knows about—-(because it was not advertised by the Ogilvy PR firm running it) and that will disappear in two weeks—- is validation? Do you think we have received enough of a bone to be happy now?
If anyone wanted to hear our voices at DHHS they could just read the obvious flu blogs.
QUOTE: “Regardless of how we feel about what has, or hasn’t been done to date by government agencies, we can take the lead in our communities and promote pandemic awareness. If enough of us do that, we can start a groundswell around the nation, and hopefully show the rest of the world how it is done.
We have recruited a few more community leaders into the fold, and we have engaged in a open, and often spirited conversation with a Federal agency.
To me, that sounds like a win.”
No, I still am losing. No one has listened to me in 2 years—not even my best friends. People still think pandemic flu is a ridiculous concern. THE PUBLIC HAS NOT RECEIVED ANY CLEAR AND SERIOUS MESSAGE!
WHY NOT?
QUOTE:
“Going forth into our communities to spread the pandemic preparedness message may involve some personal sacrifice.”
WE HAVE BEEN SACRIFICING FOR YEARS! No one will listen to the “grassroots” people until DHHS/CDC get on TV and say CLEARLY and SERIOUSLY to prepare for a pandemic NOW.
The CATALYST has been available and unused for over a year.
The CATALYST is:
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 10:46 amDHHS/CDC personnel MUST hold a press conference and say: “Get ready for a pandemic NOW. People in your local area will be happy to help you!”.
In My Opinion…. Let’s worry less about who was right or wrong in the past and more about what we can do now and going forward to save lives.
Get over yourselves.
It’s great that you have done what you have done in the past…. .
Now let’s go forward.
Let’s have a press conference, let’s all start to talk about it. If you have been talking and blogging and being a flu role model. Kudos to you. Don’t complain that you were not invited or acknowledged enough.
Be proud of what you have done and be grateful that more will join you in the fight to save lives.
Seems pretty rational to me… as an American citizen. =)
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:09 amMike,
It is not only a win, it is History, living, messy, passionate, and bumpy.
Flubies are for the most part driven, deeply invested in their PanFlu beliefs, and contentious. A far flung group of disparate individuals representing every walk of life, every socio-economic stratum, every major faith and those with none, each political party is well and vocally represented.
While there were moments that may have been less than perfect so far in this glorious “experiment” that should be OK too. That’s generally how life is, less than perfect. Sometimes we learn the most from those moments and events. Perhaps seeing the level of pent up discontent and the level of willingness to vocally assign blame where blame deserves to lay will be a motivating impetus for those who have been tasked to prepare the nation to face a PanFlu event.
Flubies will not allow the government officials to be anonymous, even as many of them demand their anonymity… an interesting paradox actually. I sit here and wonder if the same level of vitriol and venom would have shone through had those “energetic” Flubies signed their real names. Maybe it would have been the same, but I, personally, doubt it.
When people can point to you and attach your words and/or actions to you specifically, it engenders a more circumspect behavior. That is what many Flubies fail to understand about our government officials, their names are attached to their words and deeds and often being recorded for posterity. No one wants to be shown to be a fool, that’s one of the main reasons that Flubies have alias.
The world has now met The Flubies and we have gone down in the Big Book of History. How will we be judged?
It’s easy to point a finger and say “You are not doing enough”. It’s an entirely different thing to take your place in the Bucket Brigade.
Bucket Brigade: A Bucket brigade is a method for transporting items where items are passed from one stationary person to the next. More specifically, it refers to a method of firefighting before the advent of hand pumped fire engines, whereby firefighters would pass buckets to each other to extinguish a blaze. This method generally maximizes throughput.
The method is applicable only if the number of participants is sufficient compared to the distance to cross.
Hot, exhausting work that sometimes fails in its goal, but still, they line up and try.
Thank you Mike for standing in the line so long and resolutely.
Thank you Mr. Secretary for standing in the line as we Flubies pass bucket, after heavy bucket to you and your department.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:17 amPeter Post#11
I doubt there will be a message sent any time soom.
In my opinion during the HHS blog much was learned and little acomplished.
People have to recognize there is problem, that it is important to fix, there is support - else the fix will not last and that there is good ROI.
We see time as short, worry more about those not getting teh message than ourselves - we are practicing.
To use your own quote: “agencies are hamstrung by a basic lack of public support.”
I hope they see our support and informaation.
As Theresa(another blogger who does not post here) pointed out. How can they be leading if they are playing catchup to thsoe in the field?
I would hope HHS, CDC should have reams of facts about H5N1 spewing out the window by now. That info charted and posted on the internet as a *start* Only as a *start*.
Once you have the facts - what do you do with them? Hmmm? So much more is needed than just a closet of food, water, gloves and masks.
We are blessed with so much to work with and I am embarrassed we are using so little of it.
Just my thogughts.
To those at the HHS pandemic leadership blog - Lead on. My safety has and continues to depend on your skill and expertise.
You have great power you are truseted to use. Trusted to use.
Regards,
Kobie
P,S, to the Fluwikians, Avian Flu talk, FluTracker, Flobogia, et al - thank you for teaching me so much.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:29 amPeter, while I understand your frustration (and share much of it), I must respectfully disagree that it’s as simple as holding a press conference.
They’ve done that. Repeatedly.
When Secretary Leavitt visited my state, it barely got mention in the Tampa Paper. One small article, and certainly not front page exposure. And many smaller papers didn’t carry it at all.
The local TV news gave it two minutes, and moved on, never to do any follow up or in depth reporting. Our governor said this was `serious. We can’t sugar-coat it. And we will be on own own.” And yet it didn’t merit more than a passing mention in the press.
Multiply what happened 50 times, and you get the `ho-hum’ response by the press to Leavitt’s 50 state tour.
Short of setting his hair on fire, and running around screaming that a pandemic is coming, I’m not sure how Secretary Leavitt, or anyone else, can get the attention you desire.
Now, can I find fault with the HHS’s response to date? Sure.
And I could have easily written a `hit’ piece on yesterday’s conference. There’s always something to criticize.
But other than making me feel better for venting my spleen, what would it accomplish? The HHS is, in my view, attempting to do something different here. It may not be perfect, and may not be what we expected, but if we wish to see more innovation, we need to be willing to overlook some of the flaws and embrace the things they get right.
If this turns out to be the sum total of the HHS’s attempts to alert the public, then no, it isn’t much.
But if this is simply a component of a much larger strategy, then it has worth. We need to make use of it as best we can.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:44 amWhat strategy?
What were the tangible take-aways?
What were the next steps as defined and articulated by HHS?
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:48 amMichael, Peter.
If you really want to get the public’s attention…up the threat level a notch…there is more than enough scientific evidence upon which to do so.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 12:00 pmThere has not been a press conference in the last YEAR where Secretary Leavitt has said anything about pandemic flu.
How long was Secretary Leavitt at the Leadership Forum yesterday?
www.whitehouse.gov/n…
“LISTEN ONLY—AUDIO WEBCASTS do not count as press conferences. This was not televised. Why not?:
WHEN: Thursday, February 1, 2007
2 PM, Eastern Time
Brief remarks followed by Q&A
LISTEN-ONLY AUDIO WEBCAST
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 12:06 pmThis briefing will be audio webcast. To listen LIVE online:
www.cdc.gov/…
I cannot find any televised press conferences concerning Pandemic flu in any of these HHS speeches. I can only find conference calls.
www.dhhs.gov/news/sp…
www.dhhs.gov/news/sp…
I am not looking for a Catalyst…I am looking for Secretary Leavitt to appear on TV warning the public. When is it ever gong to happen?
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 12:38 pmHey there Michael,
It looks as though it is going to take a bit more convincing to garner a consensus that this blog is succeeding in it’s mission to form a unified leadership position for the need to better prepare ourselves and our communities for a pandemic.
Apparently it is not enough for you to acknowledge the lack of miracles along our little journey here. Nor is it enough for Secy Leavitt to publicly recognized the command of pandemic preparedness dynamics that flubies possess as well as their hunger for action.
Personally I am very pleased with the dialog presented over the last few weeks and could not of asked for any more transparency on the issues at hand. I look forward to the continued constructive input of all involved here and as Secy Leavitt said in his opening yesterday…
“We have an opportunity to become the first generation in history to be prepared for a pandemic. Let’s continue to work toward that goal.”
I’d hate to see this become a one step forward, 2 steps back with continued criticism of an effort that can only move forward if everyone works together.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 1:02 pmN=1,
“What were the tangible take-aways?”
Rapport - people have a better idea of who is who
Seeing there are many working night and day seven days a week - us
There are multiple flu blogs with good info and asking the hard questions.
As far as I can see we where validated - no one said where where wront and I got the feeling they said we where right.
Was it enough progress - no.
BTW I posted the redcross pandemic sheet in the break room. No comments yet. That means my boss is either miffed or they are taking notice. If I post again from this IP we are making progress, else I will see how it goes at my new job.
Regards,
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 1:20 pmKobie
P.S. no word from my local Red Cross chapter about the red cross pandemic stuff. Blood drive is 6-27 so I will know more then.
Forgive my lack of formatting knowledge!
Quoting Jay Schmid: “I’d hate to see this become a one step forward, 2 steps back with continued criticism of an effort that can only move forward if everyone works together.”
Jay, thank you for expressing my own thoughts so eloquently.
I find myself thankful that I do not have to live up to perfection.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 1:30 pm1. It is frustrating when progress is slow (as it usually is…).
And it is more frustrating when people do not notice small signs of progress.
And it it most frustrating when people give up because progress is slow.
2. Thanks to people like Michael Coston and Greg Dworkin, who help moderate the extremes, and to people like Michael Leavitt, who committed himself to an issue more than any other health secretary I can remember (I wish he’d been Secretary when AIDS was just starting to emerge), and thanks to many others, communication is flowing between citizens and officials.
3. Possibly the best evidence that this type of exchange has an impact is Admiral Agwunobi’s second post — after he learned that his target audience knew far more than he did about the stockpiling dilemma.
4. I hope the path forward includes many more efforts like blog.pandemicflu.gov.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 1:32 pmWhile this whole enterprise has been satisfying in some ways, the basic obscurity of a coming pandemic still is there. Where is the LOUD message that the threat is real? It’s discouraging that the only new armament I have in spreading the word is yet another website link to give people. And even that will disappear soon. Surely a PR firm can be found to dramatize the concern the government has been developing in the past few years. The facts are out there; it’s the government’s responsibility to make everyone pay attention, isn’t it?
Show the quantity of food needed for a week. (And show the amount of food an average family gets from restaurants and fast-food places, unavailable in a pandemic.) Show patients from 1918 and current ones. Show graphs of the number of ventilators in hospitals vs. ventilators in use, photos of the many hospital staff members needed to run them. Then show the hospital staff picture with 40% blocked out from absenteeism. Question mothers on how they would nurse a sick child when the hospitals are full. Then teach them how to mix and administer oral rehydration solution, as a beginning lesson on home nursing. Show how far our food is trucked, how many trucks on the road now, and with 40% absenteeism. Show how much food, clothing, and medicine is imported. Take different kinds of families and what they need for a month, and spread it out on tarps on the lawn, like Life magazine did in different countries. Remove what they’d use in a week, 2 weeks, etc. Ask where they’d get more. (Scaring people is not a bad thing, when there is something to be scared about.)
I’m discouraged that the call has not gone out for Pandemic Preparation Community Committees to be started in every town. I expected some kind of legitimization from HHS or the CDC, so I wouldn’t be afraid to bring up the subject. I guess I still have to try to be anonymous and mostly bite my tongue when the impulse strikes to talk about pandemic. I have to say that the feds are wasting a lot of people’s good will and energy by not doing the one thing that’s so obviously needed, saying that we are likely in the early stages of a pandemic and people will suffer if they don’t act now, while there’s still time and food on the shelves.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 2:05 pmSpreading the word about the pandemic is like planting seeds. There must be those that come behind you that water those seeds. If enough of us say the words that need to be said the the idea will sprout.
When we try to dump too much information people overload and shut down.
I am on a working vacation, on an island no less, and have planted some seeds…a mention here, a mention there, and now people want more information. When I left for my vacation my intention was to leave the pandemic behind for a few weeks…I guess that is too much to ask a flubie to do.
We simply must not be silent even if we only whisper.
Thank you Michael, the bloggers here and HHS. This is a wonderful resource to point to.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 2:10 pmBrilliant Summation !!! I’m speechless
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 4:04 pmPersonally, I see a small handful posting the same thing on every thread and yet not being willing to see the big picture or perspectives other than those they themselves hold. You do not need to keep making the same point over and over. You’ve made your point and you need to let other voices be heard.
This event brought together people of diverse faiths, private companies, and public agencies, that contributed the best of their talents in good faith. It approached the problem in a new way. It is a significant and even historic effort. An effort that will contribute to the work left to be done.
Mike you are a consistent voice of reason and an example of constructive, reasoned collaboration. I hope you continue your own fine efforts.
This effort requires many hands and acceptance of perspectives, even approaches, different than your own. The point is to work to the common goal. The reality is if a person cannot personally do that, their contribution will be limited in its effectiveness. I am looking forward to the remaining blog time and what comes next…the ripples from this event, although I expect will be quiet, are likely to carry on in many interesting ways.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 4:34 pmThank you, S Edwards. There are many voices, and some are quite concerned about how much time we really have, others not so much. I mention this because it brings perspective as to why folks post the way they post.
I think that is so true. Ripples, or seeds that need watering (not flooding); I have seen many apt analogies in the comments to the efforts being made.
I also have a good faith perspective on those that disagree and want us to move faster (or louder). The truth is that it’s because they want us to succeed.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 5:28 pmGreg, thanks for your optimism, but I disagree with you on those who disagree. Those few here who are constantly the negative voices, sometime to the point of seeming to be void of reason, seem to have one sad agenda: to be the center of attention in a debate that requires us all to respectfully listen to one another and contribute to a conversation marked by RESPECTFUL conversation, debate, and, yes, disagreement.
But, striking out at an obvious good faith effort by an agency that is trying hard to open the conversation about this important topic is not the solution.
So, for those of you who just want to bash HHS because they are not listening to YOU BECAUSE YOU CARE SO MUCH AND KNOW SO MUCH MORE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD, consider putting the mouse and keyboard down for a few days and letting people who SHOCKINGLY also care about learning more about how we can become more prepared. Really. Walk away from your computers and walk out into the evening and think about something else for a bit. It will do everyone a world of good.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 7:16 pmSometimes we see the light.
Sometimes we feel the heat.
Sometimes it’s Kumbaya.
Somteimes, not so much.
It would probably do all of us some good to ‘get over ourselves’, but calling for it that way is usually about as effective as telling someone they ‘need to calm down’.
I don’t think the passion of Flubogia is a bad thing. There is always a need for the goad, the occasionally less than civil or polite nudge that takes us out of our comfort zone and out of our rut, asking the impossible and by doing so forcing us to rethink what is possible.
One thing you learn in the Blogosphere is that fanning the flame does little to put it out. Addressing the underlying issue is often more helpful than allegations of either ill intent or limited capacity. Both approaches tend to breed more of the same.
This blog and the leadership conference represent something new and we all hope that this start continues to gain force and momentum and that we see real change in the consistency, force and urgency of the message that comes from the government on the need to prepare.
But to go back to Michael’s analogy, no one should think the blog and conference could magically get us from where we were before to where we think we should be. HHS can not be held to that ‘Repairo’ standard.
But neither can we say that these preliminary steps have magically satisfied the need to create and focus on that message or to more fully engage the citizens of this country on this issue. And in saying so, Flubogia should not be held to the Repairo Standard in failing to immediately set aside its complaints and frustrations.
Trust and respect are earned commodities, occasionally purchased more dearly from some than others. While some may consider this payment in full, others may look at is a small down payment. Most are somewhere in between.
For instance, I am still waiting to see how the government intends to ask the public about this issue and the new decisions we will all face.
We have had pandemics before, but not with this JIT global economic system, not with so much of society this deeply dependent on high technology, and not with our jet-aged world filled with so many densely populated mega-cities. And not with a virus that kills like H5N1 does.
Even if the virus becomes more benign, this situation is new. If we are to protect our country we have to act in new ways.
What we saw here is one of those ways. It cannot be the last.
(If the virtual dog did not eat my previous attempt to post this, please be so kind as to delete.)
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 9:55 pmLOL. We can disagree about those who disagree.
It’s those who don’t care at all that are attracting more of my attention. I’m hopeful this project will help, there.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 10:09 pm#29 Still Disappointed,
Unless I missed your positive posts, I have only seen you bashing the negative atmosphere in generalities. I think it would be more productive and convincing if you debate the specific issues and not broad brush the bloggers. That way one would be part of the solution. By the way, your Screen Name conveys exactly the negativism that you seem to want to stop.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 10:37 pmFrustration is often a measure of how much people care; it is pent-up passion that longs to make a difference, but is met with a task too monumental.
We are all hoping that concrete results will unfold from what has taken place on this blog. We know we want hard-hitting leadership: we need a lever to move a world from complacency to action. A big, busy, preoccupied world requires big lever. The only way to find such a lever is to work together in concert to be such a lever.
Let’s chart the way forward. Let those in government discover the will and the way to provide decisive, highly visible, ongoing leadership, and let those of us in flublogia exercise our passion in pursuit of the goal that unites us all: preparing our families, our communities and our nation for a pandemic. To the degree that we learn to think together and to work together, we will succeed.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:28 pmA conversation requires two participants. People have respectfully asked some serious questions regarding pandemic communication. HHS representatives have not answered them. Nor were they mentioned at the summit, by anyone.
People may continue to ask the same questions in the hope that they will be answered. This looks increasingly like a vain hope. Nonetheless, attempts at silencing people one disagrees with is inappropriate.
Posted June 14th, 2007 at 11:33 pmMike,
Thank you for such a well worded summation. I, for one, think that the very creation of the pandemic blog forum is a such a step in the right direction, such a piece of *history* as D Brandon said, that I cannot look at it as anything other than a Win.
We are in the very unique position of watching an event evolve in a way that, at no other time in history, has humankind been afforded. As the event unfolds and grows, so, naturally, does our awareness. There are “cutting edge” individuals, but, by and large, the masse of the population only becomes aware over time with the growth of the event, no matter what the hue and cry of the minority. No matter how invested with authority, the minority voice is still the minority voice.
History is full of parables: Noah spoke with the authority of God himself, yet he was the minority voice. Chicken Little. The Dutchboy and the dike. Heck, Harry Chapins, “The Rock is Gonna Fall on Us”.
This blog, and this summit were, as I understand it, designed to grow the “minority voice” from being comprised of single voices to to, in effect, the voice of the community.
I don’t see it as being the firing of a gun, the starting of a race, the firing of a rocket.
It is the striking of the flint, the rubbing of the sticks.
I believe that the government has not only used this blog forum to help create a dialog, but also to assess what they have to work with: the spiritual, business leaders and the rest that the Sec. hopes to spark towards nurturing the flame of preparedness cannot be expected to do so in a vacuum. Nor, imho, with just the support of pandemicflu.gov. Those leaders, imho, not only need to know the message, but that there are already people who have heard it.
I guess I’m on a spiritual texts kick tonight, but no prophet,philosopher or leader ever spread the word or created a movement in and of, themselves. They needed followers.
If the government hopes to move these leaders to pass the word, then part of this blog forum, having *preceded* the summit, serves to show these leaders that there are other out there, already leading and already listening. By demonstrating, via this forum, just how many are already aware and acting, it serves to not only obviate resistance to action, but give these leaders a community to both point to and draw upon. When one looks back over the depth and breadth of the dialog here over the last several weeks, what business, community or spiritual leader would not be convinced that it is not only their duty to inform about, encourage and coordinate pandemic preparedness, but that the population, if they understood it, *want* it.
It has made pandemic discussion accessible and, usable.
Anyway, for my own part that’s what I’ve taken away from this and that is how I have used this blog forum as a preparedness teaching tool in my practice and community.
Definitely a win.
Posted June 15th, 2007 at 12:46 amReply to Still Disappointed.
Yes, there are some bitter and less than polite posts here, but do these people care more than the PAYED HHS staff? I dunno, I only know that many of the most vociferous posters have been digging deep into their OWN pockets to fund their community pandemic awareness.
Are they better at health communications than the HHS? Dunno, but many of them have made presentations to their communities, handed out flyers, annoyed their relatives and friends and all without firm backing from authorities that are aware that a pandemic could be the worst disaster to hit the modern world.
Are they unreasonably bitter at this gracious attempt to reach out to the public? I dunno, maybe they’re aware that the vast majority of people here are already pandemic aware, and they want to know (yes repeatedly) what the HHS is going to do to widen that awareness, and YES, engender a bit of alarmism so that the average person actually DOES something.
Flubies AREN’T sad losers who spend all their days crouched over their keyboards. They AREN’T self obsessed social misfits who have nothing better to do with their time than whine at politicians and these CARING HHS staff AND FOR YOU TO SUGGEST THIS IS DEEPLY OFFENSIVE!
Posted June 15th, 2007 at 3:44 amAgain, I would point out that the discussion is entirely centering around “how best to succeed” and not at all “Do we want/need to succeed”.
Flublogia posters need not be defensive about their passion and commitment. The validation they’re asking for is an important tool to be used to shield themselves (and anyone else in their shoes) from needing to be defensive. This they’ve learned the hard way.
Those that are suggesting a lighter touch to communication are pointing out to flublogia that the message needs to be more inclusinve in order to succeed.
Both points are good ones.
Monotreme, you didn’t specify which specific serious questions you feel were not discussed, so it’s tough for anyone else to answer you. H5N1 and its 60% case fatality rate certainly was discussed (that’s one I know you asked).
So why not ask the questions again to encourage that dialogue you mentioned?
Posted June 15th, 2007 at 7:07 amStill Disappointed,
Hi. I agree. To say we disagree based on the fact, even rational interpretation is one thing. Anger over “you are doing your way, not my way” is pointless. Yes, those too involved to walk away may need a breather. A good leader can walk away and have what they started live on. What we create lives on to serve a purpose or a people and not itself. Hint, hint. To serve others or a higher purpose.
I wish I had words like Mr. Coston. Instead Benjamin Franklin said “No document is perfect. Let none of us doubt even a small modicum of imperfection in ourselves.” He was talking about the Declaration of Independence.
I disagree with Admiral Agwunobi over two weeks of supplies. He probably disagrees with me. That is good. Unfortunately for Admiral Agwunobi to sit down and discuss this with me would take time away from his already full life. For him to spend just an hour with the first 100 of us would take 150 hours (1 hour conversation, 15 min prep and 15 min to get back to what he, IMHO, should be doing).
Plus Admiral Agwunobi, Secretary Leavitt and others are privy to information we do not have.
I think they are listening to our concerns, research, efforts, tries and failures and facts. Yes failures. Many have tried to store water in used milk jug or Detergent bottle only to find out later it is a bad idea. Better, they find out why it is bad.
Still Disappointed, ACM, SusanC, Lugon et al - we do still need to voice what we want. TPTB are not mind readers. They are mere mortals. As such letting them know what we do and do not want is important. Just because we ask does not mean we will get it, or get it fast enough to make us happy. The goal is to make things happen.
Joel Jenson (ITW) Well put.
Yes, like SusanC I do not feel heard here. But this is not a popularity contest. Who can get the most responses or fan the biggest flames. It is to voice my concerns, bring up some points and know that they have been read. There may not be a personal response from anyone but then I am looking for two things: action or correction. SusanC your description of how many will die makes a deeper impact than just numbers. “Enough people to till the world trade center, 12 times over” if I remember correctly.
We got to blog to many before the conference started and then reacted as they worked. The conference was for them. This is how they will act when we are not around. For we also can not be in all places at once.
So many have done so much creating ideas, testing theories and learning. To lead the many that have not heard the message we need to continue that.
As Dr Dworkin said “It is those that have not heard the message that is scary.” When the news breaks I hope there is a complete message and bulwark completed not only to catch those looking for help, but ward off the mis-informed and snake oil salesmen.
Things are just starting. Dr Dworkin said “This is a marathon - not a sprint.” It took decades to get global warming where it is. I fear we do not have years.
Gen Patton said “When six men are thinking alike - only one man is thinking” I hope we continue to talk, disagree and lay out on the table why.
Let me close with a previous closing remark. There are many feelings, many *real* problems of H5N1 coming at us, many emotions, and many folks. Which ones win? Why the ones we feed. Feed those emotions and ideas that does others service. What about me? We should be benifactors of the group effort.
Regards,
Posted June 15th, 2007 at 8:42 amKobie
“A man is never so tall is when he stoops to help another or reaches for help from a higher cause.”
Dr. Dworkin,
Here are the questions that have been asked repeatedly and not answered by anyone representing the federal government:
1. Why doesn’t the Federal government tell the public that H5N1 may become a pandemic virus with its current fatality rate - over 50%?
2. Why doesn’t HHS tell the public that flu outbreaks last at least 6 weeks and are likely to last 12 weeks or more during a pandemic?
3. Why doesn’t the Federal government launch a mass media campaign to inform the public of points 1 and 2 and how they can prepare?
Posted June 15th, 2007 at 8:44 pmI have some questions that haven’t been discussed much. Now we know the reason we(the people), may panic is because of the mortality of the masses. Now I ask who is going to tag & identify the dead bodies? How will you inform “The Public” how to attend and dispose of their dead.Do you plan on waithing til after the pandemic is started? I wouildn’t because “The PUBLIC” will be to engrossed with stockpiling… Are you going to tell them during a pandemic, when , maybe the electric grid is down, how will you reach them, then? There will be stacks of infectious bodies almost everywhere.These issues need to be addressed as well,because after the dying stops, the burying begins…
Posted June 16th, 2007 at 4:29 pmIn general HOW WILL YOU INFORM THE PUBLIC OF THE PANDEMIC AFTERMATH? (WITHOUT INCITING “PANIC”)
“Still Disappointed Says:
Greg, thanks for your optimism, but I disagree with you on those who disagree. Those few here who are constantly the negative voices, sometime to the point of seeming to be void of reason, seem to have one sad agenda: to be the center of attention in a debate that requires us all to respectfully listen to one another and contribute to a conversation marked by RESPECTFUL conversation, debate, and, yes, disagreement.
But, striking out at an obvious good faith effort by an agency that is trying hard to open the conversation about this important topic is not the solution.
So, for those of you who just want to bash HHS because they are not listening to YOU BECAUSE YOU CARE SO MUCH AND KNOW SO MUCH MORE ABOUT PUBLIC HEALTH COMMUNICATIONS THAN ANYONE ELSE IN THE WORLD, consider putting the mouse and keyboard down for a few days and letting people who SHOCKINGLY also care about learning more about how we can become more prepared. Really. Walk away from your computers and walk out into the evening and think about something else for a bit. It will do everyone a world of good.”
Seems like a nerve was struck.
A blog is a communication tool. Communication should be going back and forth. Ideas traded, suggestions made on all sides–kind of like a mastermind group.
I’ve been busy this past week with my life, work,family, children, pets. I have been away form the keyboard and mouse and get back to read your message. Wow!
Though your message is at least interactive with others, thank you for that at least. I would like to see more give like yours-its better then the silence.
What is wrong with giving the message out to the general public?
Why not do it now?
What is your reasoning?
How do you think the message that people should pay attention and prepare for a probable pandemic should work?
Posted June 16th, 2007 at 7:23 pmKobie:
Posted June 16th, 2007 at 9:15 pmGeneral Patton’s boss, Ike said,
“Plans are useless. Planning is paramount”. It may not be how we want it, but they are planning. I’ll bet it gets a few tweaks after this.
America faces two problems in “getting the message out to the public”. Our country is conditioned both to be frightened by, and to subsequently ignore as hype, anything the media reports, due to the sensational nature of media presentation. If “the message” actually gets across, Americans will be concerned for a short time, then forget it as something negative to be shoved into the corner of the brain that protects them against being frightened by overzealous reporters. “The message” should be gotten out to business owners and managers in the form of suggestions for changes that would be strategically beneficial in the event of a global pandemic, quarrantines, etc. One such suggestion could be to encourage more businesses to allow employees to work from home in businesses that utilize information and communications technologies to a high degree. Incentives could be offered in the form of tax breaks. A trend of working from home could minimize the impact on family incomes for many Americans in the event their community is ever under quarrantine. Community leaders have not gotten the message that they should begin to prepare for a potential pandemic. Community leaders I have spoken to had not even heard of the potential for a global pandemic of H5N1, until I brought it up, and they have seemed generally disinterested. This is a serious situation. Encouraging communities to become self sustaining is an important measure. In Texas and many parts of middle America, small communities dot the landscape that do not have economic opportunities, food outlets, or medical facilities. If these areas were quarrantined, there should be systems in place to assure the availability of food and services to the residents. There should also be people who live in the community who are trained in pandemic response. Too many Americans live insular lives. That is great for reducing exposure in a pandemic, not so great for providing help to people who have been affected either by the disease, or the economic crisis that quarrantine would create. Just my thoughts.
Posted June 17th, 2007 at 2:02 amMike,very nicely said. Thanks for your insight and considerable ability to write effectively.
My daughter purchased a copy of Al Gore’s latest book, The Assault on Reason for me as a Father’s Day gift.
(No, this isn’t about Al Gore. Just giving credit where it is due.)
Needing a break from my frequent monitoring of this blog, and from the flu community’s discussion of the same, I started reading Gore’s work this evening. As I read the Introduction, thoughts about this blog kept insinuating themselves into the interior dialogue I was having with Gore. Finally, I had to put the book down and just apply his thinking to the many conversations about this blog to see if Gore’s ideas had any relevance. They did. And now, I find myself once again face to face with my laptop searching for a way share my thoughts about this blog and why it feels so…well, awkward.
Many in the flu community have expressed the idea that DHHS has been stunned by the response they have received. Some of the reasons given are that the decision makers at DHHS are naïve with regard to the blogosphere, or that they have been stunned by the articulate and sophisticated way that flubies communicate their considerable subject knowledge. According to Gore, the first reason may be closer to the truth, without obviating the second.
Gore says that democracy requires discourse, the free exchange of ideas in search of truth in order to make reasoned decisions that are best for the citizenry. Democracy is participatory and requires a response from citizens, to the actions of government in order to keep the government honest about what it is doing and why.
He goes on to say that printed media was the only mass communications media in the days of the founding fathers and that they could not have imagined the advent of modern communications technology. Reading the newspapers and periodicals of the day was the only access citizens had to ideas current at that time. But, representatives in government lived in their local jurisdictions, were available and public discourse was common. News media remained the predominant mass communications technology until it was usurped around 1963 by television.
Gore says the difference between receiving information via reading and receiving it from watching television is important because each triggers a different part of the brain. Reading triggers that portion of our brain where abstract reasoning and imagination take place and requires mental effort to translate words into ideas, into images and concepts. Television triggers a different portion of our brain that processes images rather than words and evokes emotional responses rather than reasoned ones. But, more than that, television is a totally passive media. One cannot have discourse with the TV. One cannot disagree, or offer alternative explanations or solutions. One cannot seek the truth. In fact, one cannot say much of anything to the TV without risking institutionalization.
For the last four decades government, politicians and businesses have become increasingly sophisticated at using the television media to craft exactly the messages they want us to receive. And we have sat in our respective living rooms and passively received what we were intended to receive without recourse to discourse. Now, our discourse has been reduced to poll results.
Government is simply no longer used to two-way communications between themselves and the citizenry, and when the citizens of Flublogia responded it was like an old ‘Knock, Knock’ joke gone wrong. DHHS said, ‘Knock, knock!’, but when we said, ‘Who’s there?’, DHHS was so startled they forgot the punch line and sat there dumbfounded and unable to respond, so they said nothing at all. Instead of dialogue, we had simultaneous monologues. Eventually, they recovered their composure, but they can never recover their naiveté.
But, what of the flu community’s experience of the blog? For many it was difficult to maintain their composure as they dealt with months or years of frustration and pent up resentment and anger at not hearing from the government, or not being able to be heard. On the blog, the flu community did an admirable job of stating their case objectively, reasonably and powerfully. But, in the security of the forums that was not the case. As Mike Coston quipped, “Hell knoweth no fury like that of a ‘flubie’ scorned.” The Admiral Agwunobi’s disconnected first blog was the proverbial last straw and ‘flublogia’ erupted. Why?
Gore sheds some light on that too. He uses ‘Attachment Theory’ as a metaphor for explaining the alienation, mistrust and outright anger many Americans feel toward the government. Attachment Theory is a developmental psychology theory that states, in part, that how a primary caregiver responds to an infant in the first months of life is a determinant in the ability of the child to emotionally engage their environment in later life. On one extreme (the good one) an infant who receives consistent and positive feedback from its primary caregiver will perceive itself as having power over its environment. The infant cries, the mother responds. The infant notices the response and connects it to its own actions. Toward the middle of the continuum an infant that receives an inconsistent response will develop a mistrust of both its own ability to influence the environment and the environment itself. At the far end, an infant that receives no response sees itself as powerless and as a victim. This invokes feelings of fear and rage and engenders sociopathic behavior.
Gore suggests that using a one-way communications media to send tailored message to a passive populace, while at the same time denying them a means of responding has the effect of evoking feels of powerlessness, mistrust and anger toward the government. Now, using this as a metaphor where the government is the caregiver and the flu community is the infant, and applying it to the DHHS blog, we can see that the government’s response, either inconsistent or non-existent, would produce the feelings of anger that have been expressed.
If Gore is right, or rather, if my application of Gore is right it suggests that how the government communicates a message of pandemic preparation will depend a great deal on both the media and the way the different media are used. In other words, it questions whether we can use 30 second PSA messages, which are mostly images, to convey the content of a pandemic preparedness message when images are processed primarily at an emotional level? Will a televised one-way communication from a President whose popularity numbers are in the 20’s overcome feelings of mistrust, resentment and alienation?
I believe the answer to both of these questions is no. What is needed, it seems to me, is exactly what DHHS has started to do with the DHHS blog, however imperfectly they may be doing it. If anything needs to be ‘advertised’ on TV it is the existence of the dialogue occurring in the blogosphere. They will certainly have to be more responsive and provide more information for discussion, but once they have done that the dialogue will inform the participants of the threat and the appropriate response. It’s all in the dialogue.
Posted June 17th, 2007 at 8:00 amC. Mundy — An axcellent post and a brilliant oontinuation of Mike’s opening.
Truly exceptional thinking.
Posted June 17th, 2007 at 6:52 pmSnicklefritz,
What a delightful analysis of the current communication conundrum!
I entirely agree with you on many of the points you made especially this
although I’m less certain that blogs between government (as opposed to politicians) and citizens are sustainable without significant changes in institutional culture or even institutional structure to lower the barriers preventing individual officials from straying from the ‘party line’.
See, I believe that in principle it is possible indeed healthy for individual policymakers to be able to have such discussions as brainstorming exercises without commitment, ie without compromising policy under consideration, as long as both sides define and respect the parameters, but the current requirements of office in almost all governments make this an extremely difficult if not impossible venture.
In a way, to the extent that currently there is no such thing as ‘off the record’ for senior officials speaking in public, new mechanisms need to be generated before real and substantive dialogue can occur.
Doesn’t mean that we shouldn’t do it; just saying that we probably ought to be a bit cautious in our expectations.
Posted June 17th, 2007 at 10:11 pmSome ideas appear to have a hard time leaving politicians’ mouths, posibly because people expect their talk to be tied to definite action and/or clear predictions. So no open exploratory talk, no “this might happen and we’re not sure what to do”, in fact no “free speech” for them!
It doesn’t matter if such lack of free speech can become deadly.
Forums have served, and will continue to serve, as exploration bodies for issues that those in government, maybe, can’t even talk about. We’ve so far covered high lethality scenarios, facemasks made with t-shirts, lack of ventilators, etc.
There’s another suggested body at the other end of the spectrum, for those who find it acceptable and useful.
Are there other ways? What are the most appropriate “deliberation bodies” for this? How could they be networked somehow?
Posted June 18th, 2007 at 6:01 amLugon,
Unfortunatly “exploratory talk” might also be takend down and used against them.
Too much politics not enough common goals.
Think tanks are good deliberation bodies but they tend to work in a vacume. Good projects get road or field tested during devlopment.
Case in point is the development of the M-16. Worked great in the lab but when deployed they switched powder and did not issue cleaning kits. Intial testing did not include two weeks in the jungle with freshly trained troops. The guns jammed.
Second case in point. IBM sold a mainframe that you could dial into to operate remotely. The field service guy would come in, get permission from the operator and shut down the mainframe. The DBA/Netowork guy would get a call the main frame was down, dial in, panic that the mainframe was down. He naturally would bring the main frame back up to see what was wrong - no knowing a field tech had the door open.
Companies use Focus groups before deploying new ideas or products. This provides great instight on what people will do and where they need to be trained.
According to the marketing folks “Don Watt’s savvy marketing has been behind some of the most successful products in the grocery store - ‘No Name’ and ‘President’s Choice.’
Watt says that “95 per cent of the reason products fail is an inability to communicate them.”
Communication and testing may be a catalyst. People see, people do kind of thing.
Just some thoughts.
Regards,
Kobie
P.S. for additional laughs of failed ideas see edible deodorant, garlic cake, toothpaste in a can, etc.
www.cbc.ca/consumers…
Do not forget teh smokeless cigarett.
Posted June 18th, 2007 at 7:58 amKobie
Noise…
We live in a world of noise. There is so much noise that we stimulus generalize it. You know like the music in a department store you “quit hearing” as soon as you recognize it exists.
Which noise do you listen to that regards threat? If you worried about every “potential” threat that exists out there you would sieze up, curl up in a fetal position and cry like a baby never functioning again in society.
And so we stimulus generalize the “noise” so we can continue to function and pay the bills and we watch the weather for the tornado/hurricane warnings because those are real and proximate. The rest is only possible and we put them on the list.
I think the Secretary said the planning is an ethic not an event. That’s the way to look at it. And so we have to figure out a way to incorporate it into what we do and how we live as a simple fact of life that is real and must be dealt with or not.
The way is NOT to infuse massive quantities of funding toward a specific problem and then when the problem is perceived to go away so does the money. I am afraid that is going to happen here as in see what happened with the recent federal budget cut to Pan Flu planning. Public health is rife with failures due to this “throw money at the problem” phoenomena.
Just take a look at syphilis elimination. The problem arises every 10 to 15 years and the govt throws money at it. The problem goes away and so does the money thereby setting us up for the problem again. Oh and don’t get me started on how funding gets awarded. You know how you get federal funding? You screw up. You fail and you make the headlines because your “area” didn’t stay on top of the problem and the problem got on top of you. Solution? Throw money at it. And if you succeed in building effective infrastructure??? Problems don’t arise. No one sees a problem and what the heck you don’t have a problem so let’s take your money and give it to someone who does. And so you are gauranteed funding in five years, because they have destroyed your foundation and set you up to fail… Time to go, they are also going to need scapegoats when that happens.
We are seeing the tail end of this happen with TB right now. Time fo MO Money!!! Let’s take it from Pan Flu Planning. It is also happening with HIV disease. We now have a wonderful fabric of recurring interwoven predictable crises. You would think someone would look seriously for the common denominators.
And so we become a continual process of reaction after the fact. Just look at those knees jerk. Oh, and if it doesn’t bleed, it doesn’t lead, so the press is a part of the problem leading politics around by the crisis of the moment (that would be the nose) providing fuel to the reactive fire.
We live in world in transition. ID the long term threats and find systemic solutions like creating effective well founded “all hazards” infrastructures for dealing with crisis (there are going to be plenty).
Quit reacting to this or that and slapping expensive bandaids on that will fall off. You can’t build houses until you pour a solid foundation.
Most of the solutions to pandemic preparedness from a human systems standpoint would also stand you in good stead in other crises. Individually also.
But building infrastructure isn’t “sexy.” It doesn’t make headlines and it doesn’t “attract” funding. And so we will continue to fail until the next crisis we can throw money at and the politicians can claim success while the press feeds like pigs on the whole process and NEVER identify themselves as part of the problem or acknowledge their responsibility in a given situation. They just pound their chests self righteously holding that “yellowed” piece of paper with the first amendment on it.
So, the Secretary is right preparedness is an ethic not an event and yet he is tied up tight and hoisted on the petard of crisis politics and statements made years ago strangling him and discovering that being in charge is like being in a straight jacket. Power is just an illusory joke, while influence is unlimited but so diffuse as to be meaningless…caught up in the noise… And we citizens that the whole entire “thing” is built upon just tune it out. Too noisy!
Oh, I’m sorry I’ve got to go, a pollster is on the phone wanting my opinion and I need another beer and the TV isn’t loud enough and I’m getting a text message and the dog is barking and the kids are screaming and the fridge is empty and the SUV isn’t big enough.
Posted June 18th, 2007 at 10:17 amThank you S. Edwards and Susan C.
Although some journalists in the print media have gone to jail to protect their sources, I agree that there are no ‘off the record’ remarks in the cyberworld.
However, as both of you are aware, there are at least two forums where significant individuals post under pseudonyms, and their anonimity is vigorously protected by the admins of those forums. It has to be that way for them to participate.
Since a good idea, is a good idea, regardless of the credentials or reputation of its author, couldn’t a fruiful dialogue occur with officials using psuedonyms?
I feel pretty confident that admins of these forums would readily agree to protect the identity of these officials if they chose to participate.
Posted June 18th, 2007 at 10:57 amMichael,
As usual, you frame the issue very succinctly. The “public” will continue to ignore pandemic issues unless/until prompted to pay attention by the mainstrem media.
That means government at all levels must be prepared to shoulder the preparedness burden, and it also means we “true believers” need to continue to educate whenever/wherever possible.
I am very disappopinted by the consistency of awareness efforts — or lack thereof — within state governments. For example, we see that Louisiana is mailing a million and a half pandemic brochures to households across the state. Good for them! They are not afraid of the “P” word. In contrast, Florida is spending a fortune telling people to wash their hands and “talk to the fifth guy”, meaning the other four who are washing their hands. Not one mention of the “P” word. Not one hint of concern. Just wash your hands and all will be well. What drivel.
I think the Feds need to bring in the “bad cop” and tell states they had better start meeting some awareness targets on pandemic preparedness if they want to keep getting Federal dollars.
I run the most active pandemic preparedness and awareness effort within Florida government. Unfortunately, it is just within information technology circles. I have told my fellow CIOs that they need to move forward and force the issue of NPIs by shamelessly putting in request after request for prodigious amounts of hand sanitizer, masks and gloves. Since they probably won’t qualify for antivirals (despite the fact nothing runs without IT anymore), they will force agency heads to generate a paper trail of accountability.
Posted June 20th, 2007 at 10:59 am