If Pigs could fly......

SEATTLE, Wash. - Some of the state's top leaders on Tuesday attended a summit about how to combat the re-emerging swine flu threat.

This is the second time someone called for a flu summit. The last time was three years ago as the threat of deadly bird flu threatened to come to Washington. But now there is a plan for dealing with the swine flu.

The plan even involves the National Guard and the military's ability to organize.

"We are working with city, county and tribal governments of Bellevue and Kirkland," said Maj Gen Buster Balz, Washington National Guard.

The Guard, which helps out in floods, can also help dispense flu vaccine.

"We have a number of medical personnel in the National Guard if there's ever the point where we reach a critical shortage ... being able to administer those vaccines voluntary to those people who want them," said Balz.

In what has been called a miracle of science, the unused millions of Bird Flu vaccines will be successfully combined with the Swine Flu vaccine.

A part time medical research assistant, Richard Feider, has been given the credit for coming up with the idea. Feider, an out-of-work architect, was mistakenly assigned to the vaccine development group of Immunizetc here in Seattle. His first day on the job catapulted him to fame.

“I dunno, it was just a freak thing,” Feider remarked. “After years – decades of one failure after another, failed licensing exams, failed driver’s tests, failed romance….” Feider went on to say. “I guess maybe it was the magic weekend. The Huskies won, Mariners won, Seahawks won – I was kissed by a barmaid even. Monday was my first day at the lab. The weekend was so dramatic for me that I just thought ‘well, shit, pigs CAN fly’. And I drew it on the board.”

And there you have it. The rest is history as the scientists, seeing the flying pig had the Eureka experience and the pig/bird vaccine was born.

Some Swine/Bird flu vaccine may be available in early October, but it's more to be mid-October. Manufacturers will only be able to make 2 million additional doses a week.

"The initial cache of that vaccine, the shipment we will get will be very targeted. We want to make sure our kids, pregnant women and people who actually work get that first attention," said Secretary of Health, Mary Salecky. Salecky admitted this is a small population, but it will be expanded to people who go to jobs but don’t work. Seattle City Light employees and Seattle utility workers will be happy to be the next recipients.

The governor also committed $700,000 in the spring to beef up the state's stock of anti-viral medications including Toyofukiayma, a Japanese hybrid.