Pandemics and Goverments

I listened to the President's speech on the possible upcoming pandemic. As usual I was wasn't impressed with the delivery. I was pleased with the message though. We're going to need to spend money. Lots of it, so I suppose 7 billion plus is a good start. It also sounds like a good portion is actually going to go into science, as opposed to just flushing it down the toilet of bureaucracy. I'm not naive though, I do expect some of the funds to be wasted. Another thing we need to be wary of is our present government's almost obsessive need to hire the wrong people to do a job. If we end up with a 'pandemic czar' whose only prior job was a Texas lawyer who just happened to represent big oil we should just hand out cyanide capsules to the populace. It would be quicker.
There are some things that bother me though. I'm not sure we can just trust that most of the world will be transparent with any problems that arise inside of their borders. In this country, and most of the West it would be next to impossible to cover up an outbreak. Some local reporter would be covering the sudden rash of illnesses one day, and the next day the Washington Post and the New York Times will have a team of reporters on the scene. CNN would send Larry King in an environmental suit. I'’m not sure we can expect the same level journalistic integrity in China. I would expect them to do their best to cover up any outbreaks. Too much of their economy depends on trade with us. Trade that will almost certainly stop on a dime if they had a problem. Can you imagine any airline or shipping company flying into Beijing? Even if they pledged to, cross their heart and swear to fly, I doubt they will. Pilots and crew will undoubtedly either quit, or use all their sick days to stay healthy. We need to monitor as closely as possible what's happening in other countries. Especially the ones that think freedom of the press means not killing a reporter after he files his first negative report of the government.