CA: Professor sues Cal Poly over flu preparedness secrecy

[Shiloh]

Source: http://calcoastnews.com/2014/11/professor-sues-cal-poly-flu-preparedness-secrecy/

Professor sues Cal Poly over flu preparedness secrecy
November 16, 2014
By KAREN VELIE

A California Polytechnic State University San Luis Obispo journalism professor has filed an open records suit against the university. Bill Loving, professor and editor of CalCoastNews, is suing to get records about the university?s preparation in the event of an outbreak of an infectious disease on campus.

Loving named Cal Poly President Jeffrey Armstrong and the university as defendants. He is asking for an order of the court to force the release of the records...

 

[Amish Country]

Re: CA: Professor sues Cal Poly over flu preparedness secrecy

This sounds like history repeating. A few years ago when H5N1 was still an emerging disease I contacted my country health department and requested their flu response plan. As an elected official at the time I was responsible for helping to implement it (according to the fine print in my municipality's response plan). The municipality's plan basically said our municipality would do what ever the county told us to. I was told by a county health official that I couldn't have access to the plan because it was locked in a cabinet and if I knew what was in it I might sabotage it.

I would not be surprised if the real reason the professor cannot get a hold of the information is because no viable response plan exists. What municipality has enough ventilators to handle a flu with high CFR? The option that has historically been proven to actually work is quarantine. How can a population that has maybe nine meals in their homes shelter in place for at least three months (one wave of flu)? Want to bet that the plan includes procedures for distribution of the Unobtainium Flu Vaccine that will prevent any further spread of the virus?

I'd be more impressed if the professor offered his services to at least try to come up with some options, to assist rather than try to rub the University's nose in it. How about in case of this type of emergency having the options of providing students access to online classes and text books to help limit physical interaction?