POUGHKEEPSIE, N.Y. -- If government officials were banking on giving the public reasons to have confidence in comprehensive health care reform, the way they have handled the H1N1 flu virus is not at all comforting.
The Obama administration says the manufacturers of the vaccine miscalculated this year, saying they would have 40 million doses ready near the end of October when, instead, only 28 million doses of vaccine were available.
Meanwhile, many areas have seen a steady uptick in flulike illnesses.
Sen. Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., has called for the Federal Trade Commission to crack down on phony pills, gloves and an assortment of other "remedies" being sold on the Internet to combat the H1N1 flu. It is a sad fact that sordid characters will prey on the fear of others in these instances. The Food and Drug Administration has identified 140 products making such false claims and selling their products online.
Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says massive school closings wouldn't stop the spread of the virus, adding that vaccinations are the best defense against H1N1 flu.
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No one should doubt that. But the government's efforts to deliver the remedy have been shaky at best.
