Avian influenza, or H5N1, has been tearing through animals for over a year, spreading more widely than it ever has before. Now, 14 years after H1N1, and with COVID-19 still roiling the world, the United States is again facing the prospect of an influenza pandemic. The World Health Organization declared a “Public Health Emergency of International Concern” and raised the influenza pandemic alert to the highest level. The Strategic National Stockpile sent antivirals and personal protective equipment to states. Within two weeks, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention activated its Emergency Operations Center and began work to develop a vaccine. Laboratory tests soon revealed that they were both infected with a new subtype of influenza. F our years later, in 2009, two children in southern California with no connection to each other developed fevers and coughs. “By preparing now, we can give our citizens some peace of mind,” he said. To that end, he was announcing the creation of the National Strategy for Pandemic Influenza, a comprehensive government plan for handling pandemic flu outbreaks. “Pandemic flu,” Bush explained, “occurs when a new strain of influenza emerges that can be transmitted easily from person to person-and for which there is little or no natural immunity.” No such strain existed then, but Bush was worried that one soon might. It wasn’t another hurricane or a terrorist attack. Bush then announced a sweeping new program meant to tackle those dangers head-on.īut it wasn’t a military conflict that commanded presidential attention. A failure to do so, he said, could cost millions of lives and trillions of dollars. “Leaders at every level of government have a responsibility to confront dangers before they appear and engage the American people on the best course of action,” he declared.

It was an unusual show of force for a press conference, and with two unpopular wars underway and the response to Hurricane Katrina still floundering, there was plenty else to attend to. He was joined by five members of his cabinet, two senators, three congressmen, and multiple international guests. Bush stood at a lectern in Bethesda, Maryland, to make an important announcement.

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