Officials urge organizations to step up H1N1 flu preparedness

Jul 26, 2009

The federal government is moving aggressively to prepare for a more severe outbreak of the H1N1 flu virus in coming months – and municipalities, workplaces, schools and communities also must step up their preparedness efforts, Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius told attendees at a recent summit in Bethesda, MD.

Federal officials met July 9 at the H1N1 Influenza Preparedness Summit at the National Institutes of Health to pinpoint strategies for combating a possible H1N1 flu outbreak during the fall flu season. During the summit, Sebelius said HHS is making available $350 million in preparedness grants to assist states and municipalities.

In addition, Secretary of Homeland Security Janet Napolitano said workplaces will need to prepare for higher rates of worker absenteeism, and employers should consider giving workers flexibility for time off if the flu affects others in their households.

In a related development, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention issued guidance July 8 describing planning scenarios for state and local governments that target high-priority populations for the H1N1 flu vaccination, including health care and emergency services workers.