Birdflu Mailing List: Fw: UMn can produce avian flu protection?

[William Weir (weirwilliam]

In the light of discussion with my MHA thesis advisor and other UMn faculty, 
and in preparation for the FUS Forum at 9:30 a.m. Sunday, March 19, I sent the 
following message to Robert Bruininks, President of the University of Minnesota.
Bill Weir
----- Original Message ----- 
From: William Weir<mailto:weirwilliam [at] msn.com> 
To: bruin001 [at] umn.edu<mailto:bruin001 [at] umn.edu> 
Sent: Sunday, March 12, 2006 2:11 PM
Subject: UMn can produce avian flu protection?


Dear President Bruininks,

In conversations with some UMn faculty members, I gained the impression that 
they firmly believe that somewhere in the UMn Health Sciences is the capability 
to produce for Minnesotans and others some protection against the impending 
pandemic from H5N1 influenza virus speading from bird or animal to a person as 
well as (soon) from person to person.

Could you please check this out?  Can UMn produce some protection (vaccine?) 
against bird flu?

If so, could you please mobilize the resources needed for this capability 
promptly to be realized?

In doing so, you may prove to be the key to saving many lives, preventing many 
infections, cutting fear-based absenteeism, keeping Minnesota's economy going, 
preventing a disaster for the University and earning great accolades for your 
initiative.

According to Dr. Hull our State Epidemiologist, Minnesota Department of Health 
is currently projecting that 1,250,000 Minnesotans could fall ill from this 
avian flu, only 50,000 be gain entry to our hospitals, and 20,000 Minnesotans 
will die.  

Unless UMn comes up with what is needed, I predict also that a great many 
workers and managers will be absent from their work because they are attempting 
to care for their loved ones or are simply too scared to be at work where the 
infection can be picked up from asymptomatic people.   This could severely 
disrupt the economy and damage our state for decades to come.

Please respond.

I would appreciate receiving your reply, if possible by this Friday 3/17, 
because I want to include it in my annoucements to my congregation this coming 
Sunday morning 3/19, when our Forum will focus on "Preparing For Bird Flu."

Bill Weir
weirwilliam [at] msn.com<mailto:weirwilliam [at] msn.com> 
ph. 952-285-1272
cell. 612-751-0445
5241 Halifax Ave S
Edina, MN 55424-1402