Three days after a false report of a missile attack on Hawaii seemed the perfect time to help the public for a nuclear disaster. But instead, the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention changed the top of Tuesday’s discussion to the flu epidemic.
The CDC did not respond Tuesday to questions surrounding the topic change for the public health discussion, which had been planned for several weeks.
The CDC says the previous event, titled “Public Health Response to a Nuclear Detonation,” will be held at a future date. The session will focus on local, state and federal prepartions in the event of a nuclear attack.
“While a nuclear detonation is unlikely, it would have devastating results and there would be limited time to take critical protection steps,” the CDC said before the event was changed. “Despite the fear surrounding such an event, planning and preparation can lessen deaths and illness. For instance, most people don’t realize that sheltering in place for at least 24 hours is crucial to saving lives and reducing exposure to radiation.”
