U.S. Bird Flu Efforts Lacking Guidance: Report

A lack of money and guidance from the U.S. government is hindering efforts by the nation's 5,000 state and local health departments to prepare for a possible avian flu pandemic, The New York Times reported.

The majority of health departments won't be ready for at least a year, experts say. Only a few departments, particularly in Seattle and New York City, have made major progress in planning for a pandemic.

"It's a depressing situation. We are way, way behind," Jeffrey Levi, an influenza expert at the nonpartisan health policy group Trust for America's Health, told The Times.