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			Friday, August 28, 2009 News Clipping Archives *Maryland / Regional* Swine Flu - What You Need to Know (Baltimore Sun) $454M in state cuts OK'd (SoMoNews.com) Kids Health Fair Saturday at Country Club Mall (Cumberland Times-News) High health care costs hurting small businesses (Baltimore Sun) Army breaks ground on new infectious disease labs (Frederick News-Post) Mikulski could inherit health committee (Baltimore Sun) Loudoun Horse Contracts Equine Encephalitis (Washington Post) HHS Might Move From Rockville to Prince George's (Washington Post) Counties developing plans to balance the books after cuts (The Gazette) *National / International* WHO says swine flu down in Southern Hemisphere (Associated Press) Swine flu rises at US colleges as students return (Associated Press) Swine Flu Scenario (Washington Post) Swine flu: Fair officials fret over pigs' health (Washington Post) *Opinion* No cause for panic (Baltimore Sun Editorial) America needs health care and insurance reform (Salisbury Daily Times Letter to the Editor) *Maryland / Regional* Swine Flu - What You Need to Know Answers to the most common questions. HealthKey.com contributor By Andy Friedman Baltimore Sun Thursday, August 27, 2009 Information is the best prevention. As the government scrambles to provide vaccine for Swine Flu and contain the spread of the disease, perhaps the best tool available for you is the right information. What is Swine Flu and how is it different from varieties of influenza we've seen before? H1N1, or "Swine Flu" contains genetic material from swine, avian and human flu viruses. H1N1 viruses often circulate harmlessly, but since it's a new type of virus, humans don't normally have immunity to it. There are predictions worldwide about the spread of Swine Flu, but nobody is sure how far the disease will spread. What are the symptoms? These include: * Fever * Cough * Sore throat * Runny nose * Body aches * Chills * Fatigue Some cases also involve diarrhea and vomiting. These symptoms are relatively common in most types of influenza. Your doctor can give you a Swine Flu test, though the results are not always definitive. A fever is defined as having a body temperature of 100 degrees or greater. Swine flu can also cause neurological problems in children, as do other types of flu. The disease is fatal in rare cases. Who's at the highest risk? Most U.S. cases have involved young adults and older children. A large number have involved those with morbid obesity. Experts still caution that those at the highest risk from Swine Flu are young children, the elderly, those with immune disorders and other chronic illnesses. How can I tell of co-workers, family members or others have Swine Flu? It's virtually impossible to tell, as Swine Flu symptoms are similar to those of other types of flu. Still, experts advise you to stay six feet from those who appear sick. It's not necessary to wear a face mask, but it can help prevent you from spreading your flu virus to others. How can I avoid infection The CDC says hand washing is one of the best ways to reduce your risk of infection. Also, staying away from those who exhibit symptoms is also effective. A personal distance of six feet is recommended. All household surfaces should be kept clean. Experts say the flu virus (H1N1 included) can stay alive on doorknobs, books, counters, sinks and desks for up to 8 hours. What vaccines are available? Vaccines are being prepared in large numbers. Millions of doses will be available in October with more being distributed each month thereafter. The CDC says children ages 6 months to 19 should get a flu shot each year. What medications are effective? Tamiflu (oseltamivir) and Relenza (zanamivir) are thought to be the most effective medications to combat H1N1. Doctors advise taking these drugs as soon as possible after symptoms are exhibited. The CDC adds that those who have been to areas with widespread infection should talk to their doctors about taking one of these antiviral medicines. Health officials don't advise stockpiling Tamiflu and Relenza, though there have been reports in recent years about public health workers doing just that. Still, the government recommends leaving available medicines for those truly in need. How do I prepare my family for a possible major outbreak? The government web site Flu.gov advises that you keep a two week supply of food and water in the house. You should also make sure you have a large supply of any prescription drugs on hand. Make sure your children know to always wash their hands and stay away from others who are sick. Parents should cover coughs and sneezes with tissues and model that behavior for the children. Talk with family members and loved ones about how they would be cared for if they got sick, or what will be needed to care for them in your home. Parents should make plans for child care in the event they themselves become sick. What if a family member becomes sick? Call your doctor. If you, your spouse or the kids are coughing and sneezing it could just be a cold. But if there's a fever, headache and other flu symptoms, that's an indication that it could be Swine Flu or some other strain of season influenza. Also, anyone who's sick should stay home and avoid public areas. What about travel? Is it safe? Experts advise caution when traveling to Mexico since there have been large numbers of people infected with Swine Flu there. But you should check with your airline, and websites for the CDC and WHO before traveling since new advisories are constantly posted. Why have so many people died from Swine Flu in Mexico but not in the U.S.? Nobody is excactly sure, but it's possible that Americans generally get better, faster medical care. But some experts worry that the number of U.S. deaths could increase as the disease spreads. Should we avoid pork? That's not necessary. Swine Flu or H1N1 virus is spread between individuals or by touching surfaces contaminated with the virus. Pork has nothing to do with it. Copyright © 2009, Tribune Interactive. Copyright 2009 Baltimore Sun. $454M in state cuts OK'd Workers laid off, aid to counties cut By Sean R. Sedam SoMoNews.com (Southern Maryland News) Friday, August 28, 2009 ANNAPOLIS — The Board of Public Works voted unanimously Wednesday to slash the state budget by $454 million, approving layoffs of more than 200 state workers, up to 10 furlough days for others, $211 million in cuts of aid to counties and major reductions in health care and higher education. "Some of these cuts will no doubt challenge us as we have never been challenged before," Gov. Martin O'Malley said to cabinet officials, legislators, lobbyists, advocates and media packed into the Governor's Reception Room in the State House. The board, which comprises the governor, the comptroller and the treasurer, has the authority to cut the budget when the General Assembly is not in session. The cuts include $210.7 million in state aid to Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore city: $159.5 million for highway maintenance and improvements, $20.6 million for police, $20.1 million for local health departments and $10.5 million for community colleges. O'Malley opted not to recommend cuts to education aid or to disparity grants that provide additional aid to poorer jurisdictions to offset differences in income tax revenues. The jurisdictions that lost the most state aid were Baltimore city ($35.2 million), Baltimore County ($23 million), Prince George's County ($22.7 million) and Montgomery County ($22.5 million). The board eliminated 364 state positions. Included were 202 state employee layoffs and the dropping of 162 vacant positions, for $17 million in savings. The cuts also included a savings of up to $78 million through furloughs that are designed to do the least harm to lower-paid workers. The plan assumes $5 million in savings through the participation of members of the legislature and the judiciary and their staffs in the furloughs. The executive branch cannot mandate furloughs for employees of those branches. State offices will be closed on the last business day before this coming Labor Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Memorial Day, when 67,000 state employees will be furloughed. The furloughs equate to about 1,500 layoffs. The job cuts include 160 layoffs in the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene, including cuts of 90 jobs at the Upper Shore Community Mental Health Center in Chestertown, where the inpatient psychiatric units will close Feb. 28. Another 50 jobs will be cut at Spring Grove Hospital in Catonsville, where two psychiatric wards will be closed. Spring Grove patients will be transferred to new wards at Clifton T. Perkins Hospital Center in Jessup. DHMH will try to find private arrangements on the Eastern Shore for patients from Upper Shore as part of the agency's goal of treating people as close to their home as possible, said health Secretary John M. Colmers. Another $21.7 million was cut in payments for people receiving services under Medicaid and through state programs for the developmentally disabled, drug abuse and mental health. Those cuts will be partially offset by $12 million in cuts to Cigarette Restitution Fund programs that will be redirected to Medicaid. "When times are better, that will be the area that I will focus on most immediately," Colmers said. Other cuts include $30 million from the University System of Maryland, which had already slashed a combined $37.8 million from its 11 universities after last month's cuts. Both Treasurer Nancy K. Kopp and Comptroller Peter V.R. Franchot (D) suggested that it is time for the university system to end four consecutive years of tuition freezes, lest it sacrifice the ability to provide quality education. "I hate these cuts, but they're necessary because the bottom line is you can't spend what you don't have," said Kopp (D). House Speaker Michael E. Busch issued a statement commending the board for taking actions that "will allow Maryland to weather the economic downturn while protecting as many core services as possible." Busch noted, as O'Malley has said repeatedly in recent days, that the cuts drop state spending levels below those of the fiscal 2007 budget — the last passed under Gov. Robert L. Ehrlich Jr. (R). "As a result, Maryland will be able to maintain a triple-A bond rating and continue financial support of education programs," said Busch (D-Anne Arundel). The bond rating allows the state to borrow money at the most favorable rates. Sparing K-12 education was one of O'Malley's goals in making two rounds of $736 million in cuts to the fiscal 2010 budget. The board made the first round of $282 million in cuts on July 22. Maryland State Teachers Association President Clara Floyd on Wednesday praised O'Malley for his "effort to continue providing the resources that have helped make Maryland's public schools No.1 in the nation," a distinction bestowed by Bethesda-based Education Week magazine. But the union noted that budget reductions at the county level have led to three furlough days for teachers in Anne Arundel County; fewer math and reading specialists in Carroll County; reductions in athletic programs in Howard County, and unfilled positions remaining empty, leading to overall class size increases across the state. The cuts come as underperforming revenues from the state's property, sales and personal and corporate income taxes have left Maryland with a budget deficit that could reach more than $1 billion by fiscal 2011. Senate Minority Leader Allan H. Kittleman (R) of West Friendship, criticized the governor for "poor budget decisions he's made and his untimely decisions," which have led to what Kittleman called the "O'Malley deficit." Copyright ©, 2009 Southern Maryland Newspapers - ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Kids Health Fair Saturday at Country Club Mall Cumberland Times-News Friday, August 28, 2009 LAVALE - A Kids Health Fair will be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Country Club Mall The event is sponsored by Maryland Physicians Care and will feature the CHIPS Program, the Maryland Physicians Care Healthy Groove Bus, the local Masonic lodges CHIPS Child Identification Program, along with HRDC programs, including Head Start, Home Energy, Adult Day Care and the Senior Center; Big Brothers and Big Sisters; Family Crisis Resource Center; Allegany County Health Department; Allegany College of Marylands Nursing program; and the Western Maryland Health Systems Wellness Center, which will sponsor a Stacking Contest in Center Court. The Healthy Groove Bus will be located adjacent to the AMC 6 Theatres entrance where it will feature different stations highlighting healthy tasting, active TV and outdoor games. The bus travels throughout the state of Maryland to educate children and families about how to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Additional participating displays will be featured throughout the mall between the AMC 6 Theatres and center court. Families can take advantage of the free child identification program sponsored by local Maryland Masonic Lodges to be located in the former Fashion Bug location from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. This all-inclusive identification program is free to the public and it is also open to children of all ages and senior citizens. Families will be given a CD that will provide their child/family members identification information, including fingerprints along with a DNA sample kit. The Allegany County Health Department will have displays featuring information on the swine flu, obesity programs, substance abuse and tobacco programs. McGruff the Crime Dog will also be on hand throughout the day to meet with children. Copyright © 1999-2008 cnhi, inc. High health care costs hurting small businesses Owners are scaling back coverage for employees as way to save money By Hanah Cho Baltimore Sun Friday, August 28, 2009 Like many cash-strapped small-business owners burdened by rising costs and fewer customers these days, Mark Derbyshire thinks a lot about health care. Specifically, how to keep paying for employee coverage that continues to skyrocket each year. So, Derbyshire made a tough decision this year to not offer family coverage to newly hired employees, while maintaining the current plan for his 30 employees at Park Moving and Storage in Aberdeen. As Congress works to fix the health care system, controlling the growing tab for medical insurance is an especially important concern for the nation's 6 million small businesses, whose support is crucial to any reform. While trying to extend coverage to 47 million uninsured Americans, lawmakers are also trying to reduce expenses. "We see two sides of this. One is, 'How do we start to contain costs and reduce costs over time for the ones who currently offer coverage?' " said Amanda Austin, director of federal public policy for the National Federation of Independent Business, a strong advocacy group that opposes a House proposal that calls for an employer mandate to provide health insurance. "[And] how do we get an affordable package for those who want to start offering coverage?" For Derbyshire and other small-business owners, health care coverage is in a crisis and can no longer be maintained without making difficult choices. Small firms providing family coverage have seen annual premiums more than double since 1999, according to an annual survey by the Kaiser Family Foundation and Health Research & Educational Trust. NFIB members, whose firms average 10 employees, have identified health insurance costs as their No. 1 concern since 1986. "It's not sustainable anymore," said Derbyshire, whose family business was started by his father in 1956. "I've talked to other people; it's to the point where they're cutting out of insurance, most likely they're cutting out dependents and only offering it to individuals. That's where we're headed, too." Small businesses are especially hard hit because they do not typically have the power to negotiate better deals from insurers, as do larger companies, said Bradley Herring, assistant professor of health policy and management at the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. "In some sense, everyone is struggling with rising health care costs," he said. "When you start with the slightly higher base, small firms face relatively higher premiums. That growth takes a bigger hit on smaller firms." On average, businesses pay almost $4,000 a year per employee for single coverage and about $9,300 for a worker with a family plan, according to Kaiser's survey. It might not come as a surprise that more large companies offer employee health coverage than small firms. About 99 percent of employers with 200 workers or more offer health benefits, while fewer than half of those with no more than 10 employees do so, according to Kaiser. That's down from 56 percent in 1999. Herring strongly advocates a health insurance exchange program, a component of several proposals under consideration by House and Senate committees. The exchange would create a marketplace where individuals and small businesses can compare prices and benefits and shop around. "The thought would be that, collectively, small firms and individuals could act like a really large firm and negotiate better rates and have more market power," Herring said. Other major elements of proposals in the House and Senate mix a combination of requiring employers of certain sizes to provide medical coverage or pay a payroll tax of up to 8 percent as well as providing a tax credit to help businesses who want to offer health benefits. NFIB strongly opposes the coverage mandate and the tax, arguing that they don't address ways to contain out-of-control health care costs for small businesses. "We're looking for more incentives than major penalties," said Austin of NFIB. "I think when you add costs with no end in sight and don't figure out how to curb costs, they put people in a position to make choices. Do I hire another employee or keep health care?" But some small businesses support requiring all employers to provide some health insurance on the theory that a level playing field would bring costs down. "The business community in Maryland would benefit from all businesses being required to do their fair share," said Vincent DeMarco, president of the Maryland Citizens' Health Initiative, whose proposal for universal health care in Maryland failed in the General Assembly earlier this year. Janna Naylor, president of Naylor's Hardware stores in Garrett and Allegany counties and in West Virginia, favors such a move. Naylor's business has been offering health benefits to employees since the family company was founded by her great-grandfather 125 years ago. But paying for it gets more difficult each year, especially with the 85-employee business hit hard by the recession. The four-store chain is liquidating one location in West Virginia to pay off bills. The company picks up 70 percent of costs for individual coverage and 60 percent for a family policy with employees covering the rest. Last year, the business paid roughly $193,000 in premiums - about $61,000 less than in 2007 - because many workers opted out when they could not afford to pay their portion, Naylor said. This year, Naylor offered an alternative policy with a lower premium but higher deductible for workers, increasing participation. Still, Naylor said her costs have remained the same. "It's the one that increases most rapidly in cost. I don't have any other expense that goes up there," Naylor said, noting premiums have been increasing in double-digit percentages annually. "I feel like I'm between a rock and a hard place. I know my employees need health care. It's getting so expensive that I can't afford it." To pay for health insurance, Naylor, for instance, has doled out smaller pay raises for her employees in recent years. "I can either give you health care or a bigger raise," she said. "Right now, we've had a wage freeze for a year." Derbyshire, too, is struggling to keep coverage for his employees, who have been asked to give a little more. Health care costs represent about 10 percent of his total payroll, Derbyshire said. The firm picks up 85 percent and 75 percent of premiums for individual and family coverage, respectively. "You have to be competitive to get the best employees. You have to provide health care," he said. "To be competitive, you also have to keep your costs down. It's a Catch-22." Derbyshire sees other small-business owners drop coverage, but he doesn't want to have to make that choice. So, he arrived at the decision to only offer individual coverage to new employees to control costs. Derbyshire acknowledges the move could be risky. "When I hire people, I have to be upfront with them," he said. "For some people, it'll make a difference on whether they work for us or not." Copyright © 2009, The Baltimore Sun. Army breaks ground on new infectious disease labs By Megan Eckstein Frederick News-Post Friday, August 28, 2009 FORT DETRICK -- Top Army officials and scientists converged on Fort Detrick on Thursday to break ground on a $680 million Research Institute of Infectious Diseases facility. The project, expected to be completed in May 2014, is recognition of a "tough and too often thankless mission ... to save lives and halt outbreaks of deadly diseases," said Maj. Gen. James Gilman, the commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Research and Materiel Command at Fort Detrick. The new building will provide more than 800,000 square feet for the research group, including 17,000 square feet of Biosafety Level 4 lab space -- used to study the most dangerous biohazards, such as Ebola -- and 34,000 square feet of Biosafety Level 3 space, where researchers can work with other harmful agents such as anthrax. Some residents in nearby neighborhoods are concerned about USAMRIID's expansion and petitioned in February for an independent group to review the Army's public health and safety risk assessment of its building plans. Sen. Barbara Mikulski, a Maryland Democrat, secured federal money so the National Academy of Sciences could evaluate the Army's report under the National Environmental Policy Act. Though the National Academy of Sciences review may not be completed until March 2010, Col. John Skvorak, commander of the U.S. Army Medical Research Institute of Infectious Diseases, said it does not look like the review will hold up construction of the new building. "I'm confident the folks who did the (Army's) study did a thorough job," he said. Skvorak said the building would be important as his institute continues to search for treatments for deadly diseases, both for the armed services and for the general public. "We will incorporate additional technology to the work we do, as well as having a flexible building design. One of the problems with the building now is it hasn't been able to keep up with us," he said. The current USAMRIID building was completed in 1972 and, while state-of-the-art at the time, does not provide the reliable and high-quality electricity, information technology and other systems needed to support the high-tech lab equipment, he said. Skvorak also joked during the ceremony that the new building would finally provide adequate office space for his approximately 800 employees -- "kind of a novel concept for USAMRIID." The new building is designed to hold more than 950 employees, which will be important as USAMRIID continues to work with more federal departments at Fort Detrick. Lt. Gen. Eric Schoomaker, surgeon general and commanding general of the U.S. Army Medical Command, said USAMRIID played an important part in detecting and studying the 1999 West Nile virus outbreak and the 2002 severe acute respiratory syndrome outbreak, and he said he was looking forward to seeing what else the institute would accomplish with its new facility. "The United States needs the capabilities that the new USAMRIID will bring, but the USAMRIID scientists and technicians, and support and administrative staff, have earned this incredible building through a 40-year record of unwavering dedication to excellence, to science, and above all, to the warfighter," Skvorak said during the ceremony. Copyright 2009 Frederick News-Post. Mikulski could inherit health committee Md. senator could follow mentor Kennedy as chair By Paul West Baltimore Sun Friday, August 28, 2009 Sen. Barbara A. Mikulski described Edward M. Kennedy as her "Sir Galahad," a friend and mentor who took her under his wing when she joined the Senate. Now, in what would be a unique parting gift, there is a chance that Kennedy's death could elevate Mikulski to the chairmanship of a major committee for the first time in her 23-year Senate career. For her to inherit his job, though, Kennedy's closest friend in the Senate would have to turn it down first. The odds of that happening are difficult to gauge. They depend on a complex blend of seemingly unrelated factors, including President Barack Obama's legislative priorities, arcane Senate rules and the political calculations of one of the most endangered Democratic senators in the country. That man is veteran Sen. Christopher J. Dodd. The Connecticut senator hasn't tipped his hand, but if he decides that shoring up his shaky re-election prospects is his top priority, Mikulski would remain the most senior Democrat without a major committee chairmanship. Dodd told reporters Wednesday that he had not given "a second's worth of thought" to whether he would take over for Kennedy as chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee. The same day, Dodd spoke by phone with Mikulski, according to a Mikulski aide. They shared their grief over Kennedy's death, but "did not discuss committee assignments," said spokeswoman Rachel MacKnight. Mikulski, 74, remains a patient at a Mercy Medical Center rehabilitation unit after ankle surgery last month. Dodd, 65, was Kennedy's best friend in the Senate for decades. After Kennedy was diagnosed with brain cancer, Dodd stood in for him over the past year in drafting part of the sweeping health care overhaul measure that is making its way through Congress. Until his death, Kennedy chaired the HELP committee, which deals with a wide range of social legislation. At Kennedy's behest, Mikulski helped steer a higher education measure through the Senate and oversaw elements of the health care legislation over the past year. But Dodd outranks Mikulski and all other Democrats on the panel in seniority. Ordinarily, that would settle things, but a senator can chair only one major committee at a time. And Dodd now heads the banking committee, having succeeded Paul S. Sarbanes in that job after the Maryland senator's retirement in 2006. For Dodd to replace Kennedy at HELP, he would have to surrender the banking chairmanship. In that role, he is deeply involved in a push to craft the most sweeping new regulation of the financial system since the Depression in an effort to prevent a repeat of the crash of 2008. A Senate leadership source said Thursday that Dodd has not indicated whether he would stay as head of banking or move to the top spot on the health committee. The second-ranking Democrat on the health panel, Sen. Tom Harkin of Iowa, has signaled his desire to remain as chairman of the agriculture committee. If Dodd and Harkin turn down the health chairmanship, it would go to Mikulski, who ranks third in seniority among committee Democrats. She was first elected in 1986 and is a strong favorite for re-election in 2010. But Dodd, who recently underwent prostate cancer surgery, is in the re-election fight of his career. Polls show him trailing likely 2010 Republican challengers after a wave of negative publicity, some of it tied to his work on the banking committee. This month, Dodd was cleared by the Senate ethics committee of allegations that he had violated gift rules by accepting a home mortgage discount from Countrywide Financial. But the panel scolded him for not exercising "more vigilance," in his dealings with Countrywide, "to avoid the appearance that you were receiving preferential treatment." Earlier in the year, Dodd took a political hit after he inserted a provision into the economic stimulus package that allowed financially troubled American International Group, which received billions of dollars in federal bailout money, to pay bonuses to its executives. Shifting the focus away from his banking committee role could help Dodd politically. It could also link him more closely to the top legislative priority of Obama, who has offered campaign help to the senator. Douglas Schwartz, director of the Quinnipiac University Poll in Hamden, Conn., said, "It would be a plus for Dodd to be perceived as inheriting the Kennedy legacy on health care and to be associated with the No. 1 issue in the country right now." He added that the administration's health care overhaul remains popular in Connecticut, a Democratic state that Obama carried in a landslide last year. But Dodd's relinquishing of the gavel at the banking committee could jeopardize the push to re-regulate the U.S. financial system. Next in line for that job is Sen. Tim Johnson of South Dakota, regarded as far more sympathetic to the financial services industry than other Democrats. "I think Dodd is really torn between his substantive interests and his electoral self-interest," said David W. Rohde, a Duke University political scientist. "He'd rather stay at banking," but taking over HELP could distance him from his political problems and "tout his ability to manage things that could be attractive to his Connecticut constituents." Copyright © 2009, The Baltimore Sun. Loudoun Horse Contracts Equine Encephalitis Associated Press Washington Post Friday, August 28, 2009 Virginia agriculture officials say two more cases of Eastern Equine Encephalitis in horses have been confirmed in the state, bringing the total cases this year to eight. The Virginia Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services said Thursday a 28-year-old horse from Loudoun County had multiple medical problems and was euthanized. The other case involved a seven-year-old horse from Southhampton County that remains alive. Agriculture officials are advising horse owners to vaccinate their animals every six to 12 months against the disease. The department also says an 11-year-old alpaca from Surry County tested positive but recovered on its own. Copyright 2009 Washington Post. HHS Might Move From Rockville to Prince George's Developers Propose Sites Near Metro By Greg Gaudio Washington Post Thursday, August 27, 2009 At least two developers are vying to lure the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services from its outdated Rockville complex to spacious new digs in Prince George's County. Each firm is interested in building almost 1 million square feet of office space for HHS near a Metro stop in Prince George's County. If constructed, such a complex would relocate about 5,000 federal jobs to the county, fatten property tax coffers and serve as an anchor near a transit station. "Of course it would have a huge impact on the county," said Patricia Thornton, a spokeswoman for the Prince George's County Economic Development Corp. But the owner of the Parklawn Building in Rockville, HHS's current complex housing about 3,000 employees, would like to renovate that facility to keep the department. The General Services Administration, which oversees development for the executive branch, expects to select a developer for the project by the end of the year, spokesman Michael McGill said. "This is a big lease," he said. "And both Montgomery and Prince George's counties are very eager to try to capture it." McGill declined to say how many firms sent in bids. When its lease expires July 31, 2010, HHS has the option of staying in the 18-story Parklawn, one of the largest privately owned buildings in the state, or moving. The GSA has been accepting proposals for a 935,000-square-foot office building in suburban Maryland, which it would lease for HHS. The project's prospectus estimates that the lease would run for 15 years at $30 million a year. The new space would combine HHS offices at Parklawn with those in three other locations: 6010 Executive Blvd. and Rockwall I, both in Rockville, and Silver Spring Centre in Silver Spring. One developer, the Carl Williams Group, is proposing a 24-story building for four acres near New Carrollton Station, said John Lally, an attorney for the company. "I can't even tell you what this bid has cost to put together," he said. "It's massive." Lally said New Carrollton is an ideal location because many modes of transportation converge there. The station is the eastern terminus of Metro's Orange Line and a stop for MARC and Amtrak trains and a variety of bus lines. Maryland also proposes to make the station the eastern terminus for a light-rail Purple Line between Prince George's and Montgomery counties. The proposed building would conform to new zoning standardshttp://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2009/08/13/AR2009081302595.html aimed at making the New Carrollton area walkable, Lally said. Another developer, Peter Ng Schwartz Management, received approval from the Prince George's County Planning Board on June 11 for a mixed-use development on eight acres near Largo Town Center Station, the end of the Blue Line. It awaits approval by the Prince George's County Council, which sits as the District Council to hear planning and zoning matters. "The applicant proposes to develop the site with 989,560 square feet of commercial office space to be used by the Department of Health and Human Services," according to a draft resolution. The development, called One Largo Metro in planning documents, would have a day-care center for employees' children and 10,000 square feet of retail space. Phone calls to the offices of Peter Ng Schwartz were not returned. The company that owns the Parklawn Building, however, would like HHS to stay put, according to Ed Grau, senior property manager for Fishers Lane LLC. Grau said the company has proposed renovating the 40-year-old building to entice HHS to stay. "We're very happy with them as a tenant," he said. The company would overhaul the building's exterior and reconfigure the layout inside to accommodate workers from the other locations. The goal would be to complete the project by April 2013, according to a 2010 HHS budget document. HHS and Fishers Lane are negotiating a short-term lease that would allow the agency to stay in the Parklawn Building until a new space is ready, Grau said. Copyright 2009 Washington Post. Counties developing plans to balance the books after cuts Officials say everything is on the table By Erin Cunningham The Gazette Friday, August 28, 2009 Now comes the hard part. Counties that were most hit in the latest round of state budget cuts are assessing the fallout and coming up with strategies. One thing that is true almost across the board is everything is on the table, such as cuts to programs and services, government employee furloughs and layoffs. The $210.7 million in cuts to local aid were part of $454 million in budget cuts approved by the Board of Public Works on Wednesday. Montgomery County stands to lose $22.5 million, or about a fourth of its $89.3 million in state aid not earmarked for libraries and schools. The county will lose the fourth most state aid of any jurisdiction under the plan — behind Baltimore city ($35.2 million), Baltimore County ($23 million) and Prince George's County ($22.7 million). The cuts to Maryland's 23 counties and Baltimore city will slice $159.5 million from highway maintenance and improvements, $20.6 million from police, $20.1 million from local health departments and $10.5 million from community colleges. Since the July 1 start of the fiscal year, counties are already absorbing a 24 percent cut in local aid that was made by the General Assembly, said Wilson A. Parran, president of the Maryland Association of Counties. "When you look at that, it's way over 50 percent of the dollars that were available last year," said Parran, the commissioners' president in Calvert County. "So we're taking way more than our share, I feel, of cuts in terms of local aid." Montgomery County spokesman Patrick K. Lacefield said officials plan to present a savings plan to the County Council when members return from summer recess in mid-September. He said the county has already frozen wages, eliminated about 600 positions over the past few years and dropped many vacant positions, forcing workers to "do more with less." While furloughs would be a last resort, Lacefield said it is getting harder to trim the county's budget, which is facing a $370 million shortfall in fiscal 2011. Michael Sanderson, MACo's executive director, said he expects some counties to announce furloughs and layoffs in the coming weeks. "I have trouble seeing how you could absorb cuts this deep without going to the employees," he said. Prince George's County spokesman John Erzen said the county's loss of $22.7 million will result in spending cuts. However, government employees already have a 10-day furlough in place, and Erzen said another round of furloughs is unlikely. Sanderson said that county officials also will be planning for more cuts to state aid in the current fiscal year, which he believes are likely. "Any additional cut is problematic," said Anne Arundel County Executive John R. Leopold (R), who added that the state has been raiding special funds, like the highway fund, for about a dozen years to balance its budget. Anne Arundel will lose $14.8 million in fiscal 2010 — a quarter of its $58.6 million in local aid. Leopold said he favors cutting services, not raising taxes, to balance the county budget. Over the past few years, local money has been saved by eliminating 107 vacant positions, cutting expenses on items like county cars and renegotiating health care contracts, he said. Frederick County Commissioners President Jan Gardner said she expects the county to make budget cuts in the next two weeks to make up for the loss of $10 million in state aid. The 35 percent cut to the county's $2.3 million public health allocation will result in the elimination of some services and a delay in the timeliness of most services, Gardner said. "This will hurt programs like child and maternal health that are fundamental components of public health," she said. "There is an expectation that public health agencies will prepare for the possibility of widespread swine flu as well as the normal seasonal flu. This cut challenges the ability of public health agencies to meet this need." The cuts to many less populated counties, including Frederick County, were larger per capita than the more wealthy counties, including Montgomery County. "For instance, Frederick County's cut is almost $2 million more than Howard County, even though Howard County has a larger population and is a wealthier county," Gardner said. "While Montgomery County's cut is slightly more than twice Frederick County's cut, Montgomery County has 4.5 times the population and is much wealthier than Frederick County." Sanderson said part of the reason that smaller counties take a disproportionately high amount of cuts is because of the highway user fund. The fund is distributed among the counties and towns based in part of population, but also on road miles, he said. The fund pays for snow removal and road repairs, among other things. The $308.5 million fund was cut by $159.5 million, or 52 percent, and all but two jurisdictions (Baltimore city and Worcester County) had their original allocation slashed by 90 percent. Excluding Baltimore city, "There are $14 million left in highway user for 23 jurisdictions" after Tuesday's cuts, Parran told the Board of Public Works. Last year, Calvert County received $6 million in state highway user funds. Tuesday's cuts put that number at less than $300,000 for fiscal 2010, Parran said. "So we'll be able to pave less than 2 miles of road based on highway user dollars," he said. Jim Peck, director of research for the Maryland Municipal League, said towns and cities will be hit hard by the cuts. "A lot of people are still trying to determine what they'll have to do to deal with this," Peck said. "I think we'll see an awful lot of repaving projects canceled, capital improvement projects, vehicle purchases delayed." The cuts to highway user funding will strain counties. Gardner said Frederick County will not be able to pay for snow removal from even one snowstorm after it loses the bulk of its highway funds. The county and municipalities will receive just $892,757 of its original allocation of $8.9 million, according to state data. Of that, the county will receive only $491,000, Gardner said. "Certainly, county governments will be expected to address snow and ice removal as well as other damage to roads from flooding and water damage," Gardner said. "The loss of these funds is terribly difficult for county governments to absorb, particularly when our own revenues are declining." Copyright © 2009 Post-Newsweek Media, Inc./Gazette.Net. *National / International* WHO says swine flu down in Southern Hemisphere By Eliane Engeler Associated Press Friday, August 28, 2009 GENEVA -- The World Heath Organization said Friday that swine flu infections are declining in the Southern Hemisphere as its seasonal flu period comes to an end and the pandemic shifts back north. Countries in the Northern Hemisphere that have already had one wave of swine flu should prepare for a second wave, which may be worse, the agency said. "The H1N1 pandemic virus has rapidly established itself and is now the dominant influenza strain in most parts of the world," WHO said in a statement. "The pandemic will persist in the coming months as the virus continues to move through susceptible populations." Flu levels remain elevated in South Africa ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/southafrica.html?nav=el ) and Bolivia ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/bolivia.html?nav=el ) and many of these cases are probably swine flu, it said. But in most of the Southern Hemisphere, flu levels have returned to normal, said WHO spokesman Gregory Hartl. At least 209,438 people worldwide have caught swine flu and at least 2,185 died of it, according to WHO. The real caseload is much higher because countries are no longer reporting individual cases. Hartl said the agency was watching flu rates in Japan ( http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/world/countries/japan.html?nav=el ), where it believes that the high season for infections is starting earlier than normal. Experts fear that the swine flu virus might mutate into a more deadly strain. A recent outbreak in turkeys in Chile has sparked concern that it might combine with the deadlier H5N1 strain of bird flu and reinfect humans. WHO said there are no indications that the swine flu virus has so far mutated to a more virulent or deadly form. Most people who catch swine flu still have a mild case, it said. But "even if the current pattern of usually mild illness continues, the impact of the pandemic during the second wave could worsen as larger numbers of people become infected," it said. Clinicians from around the world are reporting a very severe form of the disease in young and otherwise healthy people. "In these patients, the virus directly infects the lung, causing severe respiratory failure," WHO said Therefore, countries should anticipate a growing demand for treatment in intensive care units as they prepare for a second wave of the pandemic, it said. Copyright 2009 Washington Post. Swine flu rises at US colleges as students return By Dorie Turner Associated Press Friday, August 28, 2009 ATLANTA -- Georgia Tech freshman Elise Woodall was met with a message scrawled on the bathroom mirror of her dorm when she moved in two weeks ago: "Wash your hands. Swine is not fine." Colleges across the country are seeing spikes in the number of students with suspected cases of swine flu as dorms fill up and classes begin for the fall semester. "Nobody wants to get sick because missing classes is a pain," said Woodall, 18, a biomedical engineering major from Marietta, Ga. While the increases were expected and colleges say they were ready for the coughing, sneezing and feverish students before move-in day, health experts say hundreds more could get sick as the virus winds its way through college campuses. At Georgia Tech in Atlanta, classes are in full swing for the university's 20,000 students, and so is the highly contagious H1N1 virus, commonly known as swine flu. The university has had 150 suspected cases of the virus in the two weeks since students moved back to campus. At the University of Kansas, nearly 200 students have reported having flu-like symptoms in the last week or so, spokesman Todd Cohen said. University of Tennessee administrators are estimating about 100 suspected swine flu cases on campus, spokesman Jay Mayfield said. The University of Alabama had more than 50 cases of flu reported on the first day of classes last week. At Texas Christian University, 10 students were diagnosed with swine flu on the first day of class Monday. "We're finding out for the first time in a long time how quickly a contagious disease can move," said Don Mills, vice chancellor for student affairs at Texas Christian. To get ready for the expected outbreak, colleges stocked up on hand sanitizing gel and Tamiflu - an anti-viral pill - while others have designated empty dorms where sick students can be isolated. Some campuses have developed "flu kits" with items like tissues, thermometers and box lunches for students in isolation. Students have been getting regular e-mails from administrators reminding them to wash their hands frequently, stay away from sick friends and isolate themselves if they develop flu-like symptoms. "We all knew this was going to happen," said Liz Rachun, spokeswoman for the University of Georgia health clinic, which has seen nearly 50 suspected swine flu cases in the last two weeks. "We stocked up on masks and we have doctors in place." Health experts predicted swine flu cases would spike once the school year began and that colleges and elementary and secondary schools would see an increase in cases. Most campuses won't know for certain how many confirmed swine flu cases they have this year because many states are no longer routinely running tests on every suspected case. Still, many administrators say they're treating every case as if it's swine flu to help stem the spread of the disease. Health officials say the concern is that swine flu is very contagious and spreads quickly once it is introduced to a population. That means hundreds more could get sick in the next few weeks. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta recommends students with flu symptoms - fever, cough, sneezing, chills, aches, sometimes diarrhea or vomiting - stay home from class. "The mere fact you have lots of people in close proximity with each other results in the virus being transmitted from person to person," said CDC spokesman Tom Skinner. "I don't think we're surprised by the fact influenza is returning to these campuses. What is concerning to us is people becoming complacent about this and not taking the steps we know can protect them." Associated Press videojournalist Rich Matthews in Fort Worth, Texas, contributed to this report. On the Net: Georgia Tech:http://www.gatech.edu University of Georgia:http://www.uga.edu University of Alabama:http://www.ua.edu/ University of Tennessee:http://www.utk.edu University of Kansas:http://www.ku.edu/ Copyright 2009 Washington Post. Swine Flu Scenario The government has to plan for the worst, but there's no reason for panic. Washington Post Friday, August 28, 2009 THE REPORT from the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology on the nation's readiness for the approaching resurgence of the swine flu certainly grabbed our attention. While it praised the Obama administration's efforts, it laid out a frightening scenario. Half the U.S. population could become infected with the H1N1 virus. Up to 1.8 million people could be hospitalized. And as many as 90,000 could die. That's more than double the number who die of seasonal flu. But when you're perusing the 86-page report, there are two key statements to keep in mind: "this is a planning scenario, not a prediction" and "the 2009-H1N1 virus does not thus far seem to show the virulence associated with the devastating pandemic of 1918-19." Swine flu burst onto the scene in Mexico in April and quickly spread around the globe. The World Health Organization reports that as of last week there have been more than 182,000 confirmed cases and 1,799 deaths attributable to H1N1 in 177 countries. The latest data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show 7,983 hospitalizations and 522 deaths in the United States caused by swine flu. While the WHO classifies the H1N1 virus as a phase 6 pandemic because of its reach, it takes great pains to point out that in terms of severity, the pandemic is "moderate" because people generally recover without the need for hospitalization or medical care. Where there is justifiable concern is over who is susceptible to becoming infected. Unlike seasonal influenza, which strikes the elderly and others with weak immune systems, the swine flu has sickened healthy, young adults. With the new school year upon us, the potential for rapid spread of swine flu -- and the educational and economic disruption that come with it -- is high. Another area of concern is whether enough vaccine will be ready and available for those most likely to become infected. Mid-October is the forecast for having 45 million to 52 million doses of vaccine available. That's when swine flu infection is expected to be at its peak. The administration is pushing the five vaccine manufacturers to speed production of an initial batch that would be available by next month and given to the most vulnerable age and disease groups, such as diabetics. It remains true that there is no reason to panic. Scientists tracking the swine flu's spread across the Southern Hemisphere have not detected a mutation that would make it more dangerous. This is good news. Until a vaccine is widely available, you are your best protection against H1N1. Wash your hands. Cover your cough or sneeze. Stay home if you're sick and keep your children home if they are sick. And for more information go to http://www.flu.gov. Copyright 2009 Washington Post. Swine flu: Fair officials fret over pigs' health Associated Press By Lisa Rathke Washington Post Friday, August 28, 2009 LYNDONVILLE, Vt. -- No sow and piglets in the children's barnyard at this year's Caledonia County Fair. No baby pig chases, either. Swine are unwelcome at Vermont's oldest fair - uninvited because of misconceptions about how the swine flu virus spreads. Although the novel H1N1 pandemic virus is primarily a human disease, transmitted from human to human, fair officials say they want to protect themselves from bad publicity or frivolous lawsuits if someone gets sick and blames it on a pig. That puts the Caledonia County Fair at odds with most other fairs across the country, which are going to great lengths this year to protect their pigs from people since the virus can be transmitted to the animals by humans. The virus, which has turned up in herds in Canada, Argentina and Australia, has yet to been found in pigs in the U.S. In one rare instance, it might have jumped from pigs to two hog inspectors in Canada, but officials told the Canadian Press they could not be certain. Fairs and petting zoos routinely encourage handwashing to protect people from animal-borne illnesses like E. coli. Now some fairs are urging handwashing to protect the animals - specifically pigs - from the current pandemic. When the Oregon State Fair opened in Salem on Friday, visitors confronted pig barriers, recommended by the state veterinarian. "Our pigs aren't sick, are you?" say signs that will be posted at the fair. "If you're not feeling well, don't visit the pigs." In Maine, agriculture officials have distributed posters to fairs with swine exhibits that ask fairgoers to stay out of the exhibit areas if they are showing signs of having the flu. "Right now, we're more worried about people giving it to pigs, rather than vice versa," said state veterinarian Don Hoenig. Similar signs were posted when the Nebraska State Fair opened in Lincoln on Friday. North Carolina, the nation's second-largest hog-producing state behind Iowa, is going one step further, installing wooden barriers around the sow and piglet pens at its upcoming state fair in Raleigh and the North Carolina Mountain Fair in Fletcher. That will keep people at least three feet away from the pigs, out of humans' reach and sneezing range. Signs will also direct fairgoers to stay out of livestock barns if they're sick or have been sick in the last seven days. "The handwashing stations have been there for years but now the message is a little bit different: wash both before and after, not just after. You know, keep the animals healthy as well as keep yourself healthy," said Dr. Karen Beck, a veterinarian with the North Carolina Department of Agriculture and Consumer Services. But officials at Vermont's oldest fair, which runs through Sunday, have decided to take no chance, banning all swine from the Lyndonville event. "The perception that swine flu was transmitted between pigs and human is why we did this. In reality, we know there's no transmission between pigs and humans," said Fair President Dick Lawrence. Jim Tucker, president of the International Association of Fairs and Expositions, said he doesn't know of any other fair in North America where pigs are unwelcome. He said most fairs will go on as usual, stressing personal hygiene. "The message that fairs should be taking to the public is there is absolutely no connection between the consumption of pork and the swine flu as it was called," Tucker said. As the fairs tussle with H1N1 infection issues of pigs and people, pork producers fret over what it will do to consumer demand. They want to push the message that pork is safe, while helping to protect U.S. swine herds. Calling the virus "swine flu" has led to confusion, according to USDA spokeswoman Chris Mather. Flu experts say people cannot get H1N1 from handling pork. The National Pork Board has developed kits for fairs with signs urging fairgoers to wash hands and not to touch pigs. "We do worry about any misconception that people may have that would think they have anything to fear from the pigs themselves," said Liz Wagstrom, a veterinarian with the National Pork Board. Associated Press Writer Clarke Canfield in Portland, Maine, contributed to this story. Copyright 2009 Washington Post. *Opinion* No cause for panic Our view: Coordinating the response to a threatened swine flu pandemic will be a major test of the Obama administration's ability to manage a public health crisis Baltimore Sun Editorial Friday, August 28, 2009 There is now little doubt the nation will experience a widespread -and perhaps severe - outbreak of the H1N1 virus this fall, traditionally the flu season in the Northern Hemisphere. Experts are still uncertain how virulent this particular flu strain, which has been circulating through the Southern Hemisphere in recent months, will be when it comes back our way, and they are monitoring it carefully for mutations that might render it more deadly. So far, there's no indication of that; according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, although H1N1 does spread easily, it remains a relatively mild strain of influenza. Yet the likelihood of a massive outbreak understandably has alarmed the public. Reports earlier this week suggested that up to half the population could be infected with the H1N1virus in the coming year, with as many as 90,000 deaths - more than double the number that occur in an average flu season. But those warnings were quickly followed by more reports stressing that the figures cited represented a worst-case scenario and that the actual effects of the disease could be much less severe. There's even a chance this year's outbreak won't differ significantly from other flu seasons. At the moment, perhaps the most worrisome threat on the horizon for even a mild flu outbreak is that it could overwhelm the nation's health care system and the limited number of available hospital beds. White House experts say that, if the worst comes to pass, it is possible 60 million to 120 million people could come down with flu symptoms and up to 300,000 could require hospitalization in intensive care units. That would tie up virtually all the beds in some parts of the country when the epidemic was at its peak. And because the virus strikes particularly hard among pregnant women and children, there's also concern there may not be enough capacity in the nation's specialized pediatric hospitals to meet demand. These are all serious considerations, but they do not warrant panic. Inevitably, much misinformation about the virus has gained currency - that pigs at state fairs pose a danger, for example, or that anyone who comes down with flu symptoms should immediately go to a hospital. Yet for most people the virus will not be life-threatening, and the danger of infection can be minimized through simple public hygiene, such as washing hands frequently with soap and water, avoiding work or school when sick and staying home for at least 24 hours after a fever goes away. The government is right to prepare for the worst, but it must hew to a fine line between ensuring adequate supplies of vaccine and keeping the public informed while not overreacting in ways that encourage hysteria. No administration wants to be blamed for being unprepared. But if things go better than expected, the White House doesn't want to be accused of exaggerating the threat either. Given the circumstances, the president and his team may face some tough choices ahead, but "better safe than sorry" is still sound policy. Whether or not the Obama administration can implement that policy will provide the first major test of its ability to effectively manage a potential public health crisis. Copyright © 2009, The Baltimore Sun. America needs health care and insurance reform Salisbury Daily Times Letter to the Editor Friday, August 28, 2009 The spiraling cost of health care is unsustainable. Congress is struggling to legislate reform which will provide both universal coverage with quality care and substantial cost reduction. Coverage of the 47 million uninsured has cost-reducing elements, but is a cost-raiser initially. There is cost-saving potential in various proposals to enhance competition among health insurers. However, many health economists and doctors who have studied this problem believe the major potential for cost savings lies with the elimination of excessive tests and procedures that do nothing to improve health — and may actually have a negative effect. Dr. Atul Gawande, a cardiologist and professor at Harvard Medical School, supports this view and does not believe the cause is due primarily to defensive medicine against potential lawsuits. He points out that Texas has one of the toughest limits on medical lawsuit awards in the country, yet ranks among the four states with the highest per-capita Medicare costs. Gawande and many other doctors believe the best model for cost reduction is integrated care, like that provided by such organizations as the Mayo Clinic, which provides the highest quality care and ranks in the lowest 15 percent in the country in costs. Mayo doctors work on salary, as a team, and are totally dedicated to providing quality care. Insurance reform, which Congress is emphasizing, has cost-saving potential, but is more of a humane problem, whereas major cost-saving reform will require primary emphasis on how health care is delivered. We need to do both. Ira Epstein Salisbury Copyright 2009 Salisbury Daily Times. BACK TO TOP


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