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Understanding the disease quickly and slowing down the spread of the disease is incredibly valuable work. Knowing more about it lets us prepare more effectively. If we can reduce the rate at which it spreads, that gives us more the time to prepare for it by training staff and building up stockpiles. Also even if the number of cases ultimately stays the same, if they are spread out over a longer period that means the number of patients needing care at any one time can be dramatically lower, reducing the strain on the health care system and allowing more resources to be devoted to the care of each patient. The CDC, or some agency in each country anyway, has four roles in this I think. The first is as part of international monitoring, research and co-ordination efforts. Pandemics are by definition international phenomena and the countries they are most likely to start in are the ones with weak governments or health care infrastructure. This is the first line of defence. The second line of defence is advice and information, supporting other government institutions and agencies in co-ordinating their resources. Medical expertise is needed to support border control, diplomatic efforts, internal transit networks, government policy, law enforcement, logistics, the list is endless. These all have a role to play in limiting the transmission of the disease and preparing for the eventuality that is reaches populations. They all need expert advice and that advice needs to be prepared in advance and consistent. Thirdly if the disease does take a grip, co-ordinating local and regional medical resources and efforts. Collecting data from health care networks to track the disease and direct resources where they are needed most, and ensure those resources are used in the most effective and efficient way possible. Finally, research. This is a long term commitment to developing new equipment, treatments and techniques. This, and all the previous functions operate at the national or even really international level and can't effectively be progressed by fragmented regional or local health care systems. If it's not the CDC it needs to be somebody. |