Britain's elite get pills to survive bird flu - Sunday Times - Times Online:
Britain's elite get pills to survive bird flu
Sarah-Kate Templeton and Jonathan Calvert
MEMBERS of Britain’s elite have been selected as priority cases to receive scarce pills and vaccinations at the taxpayers’ expense if the country is hit by a deadly bird flu outbreak.
Workers at the BBC and prominent politicians — such as cabinet ministers — would be offered protection from the virus.
Ken Livingstone, the London mayor, has already spent �1m to make sure his personal office and employees have their own emergency supplies of 100,000 antiviral tablets.
If there is an avian flu pandemic in the coming months there would be enough drugs to protect less than 2% of the British population for a week.
The Department of Health has drawn up a priority list of those who would be first to receive lifesaving drugs. Top of the list are health workers followed by those in key public sector jobs.
Although senior government ministers would be among the high-priority cases, the department said this weekend that it had not decided whether to include opposition politicians.
BBC employees would be protected because the corporation is required to broadcast vital information during a national disaster.
Politicians and the media have been placed before sick patients, heavily pregnant women and elderly people by government planners.
Yesterday, leading BBC presenters were surprised to learn that they would be given preferential treatment. Jeff Randall, the BBC’s business editor, said: “Are you really telling me that I am on a priority list for bird flu jabs? Marvellous. I always knew there would be an advantage from working at the BBC.”"
Britain's elite get pills to survive bird flu
Sarah-Kate Templeton and Jonathan Calvert
MEMBERS of Britain’s elite have been selected as priority cases to receive scarce pills and vaccinations at the taxpayers’ expense if the country is hit by a deadly bird flu outbreak.
Workers at the BBC and prominent politicians — such as cabinet ministers — would be offered protection from the virus.
Ken Livingstone, the London mayor, has already spent �1m to make sure his personal office and employees have their own emergency supplies of 100,000 antiviral tablets.
If there is an avian flu pandemic in the coming months there would be enough drugs to protect less than 2% of the British population for a week.
The Department of Health has drawn up a priority list of those who would be first to receive lifesaving drugs. Top of the list are health workers followed by those in key public sector jobs.
Although senior government ministers would be among the high-priority cases, the department said this weekend that it had not decided whether to include opposition politicians.
BBC employees would be protected because the corporation is required to broadcast vital information during a national disaster.
Politicians and the media have been placed before sick patients, heavily pregnant women and elderly people by government planners.
Yesterday, leading BBC presenters were surprised to learn that they would be given preferential treatment. Jeff Randall, the BBC’s business editor, said: “Are you really telling me that I am on a priority list for bird flu jabs? Marvellous. I always knew there would be an advantage from working at the BBC.”"
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