This program carefully examines the major issues surrounding the current H1N1 flu outbreak, and what the U.S. and other world governments should do to become better prepared to combat any widespread health emergency. Ray Suarez reports from the front lines of the effort to combat this outbreak -- from federal vaccination headquarters and state command and control centers to big city hospital emergency rooms where the first waves of serious cases will appear. Besides the problems health care providers and flu victims could face as a result of cutbacks in medical services, if the outbreak becomes extremely widespread, every facet of society will be affected, from law enforcement and fire protection to the continuity of government. Are we truly ready to face a real pandemic? Are our emergency systems robust enough to handle a significant health crisis? And what can we do now and in the future to become better prepared to meet the challenges of pandemics?
