Report: H1N1 'Poses Serious Threat' To Nation

White House Report Says Virus Likely To Infect More People Than Usual, Doctors' Offices & Hospitals Could Be 'Filled To Capacity'

With schools set to open again in coming weeks and flu season just around the corner, the White House released the findings of a new report Monday on the H1N1 virus, saying the current strain "poses a serious health threat to the nation."

According to the report, officials don't believe the strain will turn into a deadly flu pandemic similar to the one in 1918-19, but that it could infect more people than usual because many people are not immune to it. It estimated that 1.8 million people could be hospitalized from the infection.

"This could mean that doctors' offices and hospitals may get filled to capacity," the report says.

Though it's impossible to predict how many people will be infected this winter, the report says it's "plausible" that 30 to 50 percent of the American population could have the virus, which could cause between 30,000 and 90,000 deaths.

If these numbers hold true, the report says anywhere from 50 to 100 percent of beds in intensive care units in hospitals could be filled with patients.

"As the nation prepares for what could be a challenging fall, it is crucial that our public health decisions are informed by the very best scientific and technological information," said John P. Holdren, Assistant to the President for Science and Technology and a co-chair of PCAST.

Click here to read the entire report.

As the government takes steps to counter a delay in the arrival of swine flu vaccines, schools in our area are making sure they're prepared.

The West New York school district and many other districts in the tri-state area are preparing for a swine flu outbreak. The high school has sick rooms and they're making sure students know how the prevent this virus from spreading.

"We are constantly teaching, especially in the elementary school level the teachers are now, it's part of their plan to teach hand cleanliness," said John Fauta, assistant superintendent.

Fauta said they're speeding up normal everyday clean ups at schools and making sure they have more than enough hand sanitizers.

The swine flu outbreak started in a parochial school in Queens last spring. Before it was over, close to a million people got sick around the nation, and 47 people died from it.

Many schools quickly shut down when a case was confirmed.

On Long Island Tuesday, Suffolk County officials met at a flu summit to discuss measure in the event of an outbreak.

"A seasonal flu vaccine should be ready by the end of August, early September, and everyone in the public can go ahead and get that. And shortly thereafter, a month and a half or so, we will begin to have doses for the H1N1 vaccine," said Dr. Michelle Davis, deputy regional director of the Health and Human Services Department.

As for vaccines, health officials had predicted they would have 120 million vaccines on hand, but now expects just 45 million