The nasty bug has been detected in 46 states now, and is rapidly spreading to schools and workplaces. The president has declared a "national emergency" which is mostly a technical step; it allows federal and state resources to be mobilized to fight the epidemic.But tell me this isn't a government operation. Jackie Calmes and Donald McNeil of the New York Times are reporting that despite the long lead time, the vaccine supply is inadequate:President Obama has declared the swine flu outbreak a national emergency, allowing hospitals and local governments to speedily set up alternate sites for treatment and triage procedures if needed to handle any surge of patients, the White House said on Saturday.The declaration came as thousands of people lined up in cities across the country to receive vaccinations, and as federal officials acknowledged that their ambitious vaccination program has gotten off to a slow start. Only 16 million doses of the vaccine were available now, and about...(Read Full Post)