Everyone started tearing open their report booklets as Sutton continued. “We will be in full pandemic levels in less than a month.”
“Um, can you clarify ‘pandemic levels’?” Paterson asked, looking at the report.
Thinking for a second, “Millions infected with hundreds of thousands dead,” Sutton told him.
Paterson dropped the report on the table and then flopped back in his chair. “Dr. Sutton,” the President called out and Sutton looked up the table at him. “Would those interventions you spoke of last time have made any difference?”
Taking a breath to respond, Sutton felt Jackson kick him under the table. “Mr. President, the virus was already here,” Sutton said carefully as Jackson held his report over to Sutton.
At the bottom of the page Jackson had written, ‘Be very general and don’t place blame’.
“Sorry, Mr. President,” Jackson said and then looked at Sutton. “Are these numbers right?” Jackson asked to cover his message.
“What numbers?” the President asked.
Looking down at his report, “On page seventy-seven in the report, they have found six cases in ducks in New York City,” Jackson said. “The equation on that page is showing how fast we can expect the virus to spread into the bird population here in the states, but the numbers seem skewed.”
Everyone started flipping pages as Sutton looked into Jackson’s eyes and saw Jackson barely shake his head and point to the word ‘blame’ he had written. Sutton gave a nod and turned back to the president who was looking at the equation or more correctly, the paragraphs on the next page that explained it. “So, none of the recommendations would have made a difference?” the President asked.
“No sir, it was already here,” Sutton replied quickly and the president gave a contented sigh. “The best we could’ve hoped for was to buy time, but it would’ve only been days.”
“How long until we have a vaccine?” the president asked.
“We are currently working on a culture vaccine until we have a poultry reservoir to use. We expect to have results and start testing batches in six months,” Sutton told him.
With most still reading, everyone groaned. “Even with the extra money we allotted to the CDC?” Temple cried out.
“Without that money, it would’ve been a year easy before we could’ve tested batches,” Sutton answered. “Culture vaccines are much harder to develop and can only be produced in small scale.”
“How much more funding do you need?” the President asked, grabbing a glass of water.
“It’s not about funding now, Mr. President, it’s about time,” Sutton explained. “It takes time to grow cultures and test them.”
“Mr. President,” Jackson said, glancing up the table. “I asked Sutton’s team to come up with a few ideas that we can go over to try and halt the spread of the virus.”
“Oh, by all means,” the President sighed with relief, waving a hand at Sutton for him to continue as he put the glass down.
“First and foremost is to limit panic,” Sutton started, tapping his screen. “The more people move, the faster this will spread. We are recommending all top government personnel be placed in isolation ASAP. Next, we need to start shutting down all nuclear power plants.”
“They only provide about twenty percent of the nation’s power,” Paterson pointed out.
“Right, but if too many get sick, there won’t be anyone to shut them down properly,” Sutton responded as several grabbed pens and started making notes. “Second, when panic hits we need to shut down power to stop people from moving around.”
“But it’s in the bird population,” the President said.
“Yes sir, but stopping people from moving around will buy us time to save more lives,” Sutton explained. “There needs to be a way to slow down international travel and travel out of cities that have high infection rates.”
“I’ll come up with something,” Paterson offered as he wrote.
“When panic starts, the first thing we need to tell people is to avoid others. Large crowds will spread the virus really fast and I asked one of our docs who is also a psychologist, and he agreed that will stop many from rioting,” Sutton said, then looked down at his notes. “Next, when we reach pandemic levels in a few days, keep the jails locked down, period. Not just prisons, but anyone in jail needs to stay there until we get a vaccine into production.”
“Why? They are isolated,” Paterson asked, looking up.
“They are, but the guards aren’t and the other people who work or visit there aren’t. One of our positive samples came from a prison in New York. I can guarantee you, every one of those inmates is infected now,” Sutton explained.
Turning to the president, “We need to call our troops home,” Paterson said.
“I would lock down the bases first and have all Navy ships put out and those that are out now, should have no contact with anyone from land,” Sutton told him.
“I want you to do the press conference in the next few days,” the President said, looking at Sutton.
“Sir,” Sutton said, holding up a hand. “I may be an assistant director, but I’m a scientist first. My director has said he will be more than happy to give the briefings. His exact words were, ‘Scott, I’ll talk to the press because you may give too much. I can say the words but don’t know what they mean and I can tell them I will get back to them. You may try to explain and give something we don’t want out’.”
The President chuckled, “That sounds just like Ernie. I agree, we’ll let him give the briefings.”
“Where is he?” Temple asked.
“In Atlanta, drafting speeches and doing mock answer and question sessions,” Sutton answered.
“That’s Ernie,” the President repeated, looking down at Sutton. “Worst case scenario, what can we
