ST. PAUL -- State officials want to have every Minnesotan vaccinated within a week if a human version of bird flu strikes, but so far no vaccination exists.
The announcement came Thursday amid growing publicity about the possibility that bird flu, which has been around for decades in a less aggressive form, could start spreading from human to human. Gov. Tim Pawlenty summoned reporters to the newly opened $60 million state health and agriculture laboratory to reassure Minnesotans that state officials are as ready as they can be for a possible bird flu outbreak.
President Bush this week announced a $7.1 billion plan to battle a possible bird flu outbreak.
Pawlenty outlined a plan that involves many state agencies, especially the Health and Agriculture departments. The governor said meetings are planned around the state to brief local government, health and emergency officials. The state's same plan could be used for a major outbreak of regular flu.
State officials said they have no evidence bird flu will begin affecting humans in Minnesota or anywhere else in the country. Pawlenty, co-chairman of a governors' effort to coordinate the states' and federal bird flu plans, said Minnesota first would use bird flu vaccine from the federal government if an outbreak occurs, but also would try to buy its own supply. However, a vaccine cannot be developed until health workers know the strain of flu that humans contract. Pawlenty said wherever bird flu first strikes in the state would be the first to receive vaccines.
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"You should not take it that it will be the Twin Cities first," Minnesota State Epidemiologist Dr. Harry Hull said.
He said the entire Twin Cities could receive the vaccine within two days, but it would take a week to vaccinate all Minnesotans.
Minnesota's 600 turkey farms already have biosecurity measures in place to prevent disease, according to Steven Olson, executive director of the Minnesota Turkey Growers Association. Turkey producer John Burkel of Roseau said people are asking him lots of questions about bird flu, but he does not fear contracting it and he hasn't needed to change his operation since talk increased about bird flu.
"It's not something I think about," he said.
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