Obama declares swine flu a national emergency
POSTED October 25, 2009 - 17:35 | POSTED BY Jaspreet Kaur
Last edited by Harpreet Bhagrath on October 25, 2009 - 18:02
Obama has directed Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to allow hospitals to shift emergency rooms offsite so that non-infected patients can be protected and the treatment process is run swiftly.
In the Saturday’s declaration, Obama wrote, “As a nation, we have prepared at all levels of government, and as individuals and communities, taking unprecedented steps to counter the emerging pandemic.”
He further added that since the epidemic is spreading at a fast rate there is a very high possibility “to overburden health care resources”.
The latest declaration comes at a time when the disease is more widespread in the country than it has been ever before.
Not only this, it seems that the previous estimates of availability of 120 million doses of swine flu vaccine by mid-October will not be possible now as there have been delays in the production.
Hospitals modifying existing rules to treat swine flu patients
Hospitals are leaving no stone unturned to help swine flu patients, and now they can alter patient rules, as directed by the President.
Therefore, a few hospitals have opened drive-thrus and drive-up tent clinics in order to detect and treat swine flu patients.
Typically, federal rules do not permit hospitals to put up treatment tents more than 250 yards away from the doors, but these rules are being modified now.
Dr. Peter Hotez, a research professor and chairman of the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Tropical Medicine at George Washington University believes that such a step by the government would give emergency rooms and hospitals the flexibility they require.
H1N1 fatalities till now
As per statistics revealed by the health authorities, above 1,000 people in the U.S., including nearly 100 children, have lost their lives because of H1N1 flu. Extensive flu activity has also been reported from 46 states.
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) officials, till now, the health departments, doctor’s offices and other providers have received only 11 million doses of the vaccine.
However, the government is optimistic that about 50 million doses of swine flu vaccine will be available by mid-November and this number would reach 150 million in December.
