Missouri ranks high in disaster preparedness study

WASHINGTON -- Missouri ranks higher than most states in planning for bioterror attacks and other public health emergencies, a new report finds.

The report by the Trust for America's Health said Missouri is one of only 14 states to meet at least eight of 10 indicators of emergency preparedness. Last year, the state met only half of the criteria.

"Tremendous strides have been made in Missouri during the past several years, and we are pleased this report highlights some of those accomplishments," Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt said in a statement.

Only one state -- Oklahoma -- met all 10 criteria for full readiness, according to the report released Tuesday. The group is a not-for-profit, nonpartisan public health advocacy organization based in Washington.

Half of all states scored six or less on the scale of 10 indicators. California, Iowa, Maryland and New Jersey were at the bottom, meeting only four of 10 goals.

"The nation is nowhere near as prepared as we should be for bioterrorism, bird flu and other health disasters," said Jeff Levi, executive director of the trust. "We continue to make progress each year, but it is limited. As a whole, Americans face unnecessary and unacceptable levels of risk."

The report said Missouri has enough scientists and labs to deal with a chemical terrorism threat and test for anthrax or plague. It also has year-round, lab-based influenza surveillance, has two weeks' hospital bed surge capacity in a moderate pandemic and is one of only 14 states fully prepared to distribute vaccines or antidotes in a health disaster.

Missouri maintained its seasonal flu vaccination rate for adults over age 65, the report found. The state is compatible with the national surveillance system operated by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and it increased or maintained funding for public health services over the past year.

But Missouri is one of 40 states that have a nursing shortage. And the state is below the national median for the number of adults over 65 who have ever received pneumonia vaccine, the report found.