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.

While the federal government has earmarked billions of dollars for vaccine and drug research, health departments are to receive only $350 million. Among the 5,000 health departments, that works out to $70,000 each.

The nation's strategy is one of "buying time" until millions of doses of vaccines and antiviral drugs can be produced, Dr. Julie L. Gerberding, director of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, acknowledged at a conference of avian flu experts, The Times reported.

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