Cases of swine flu, or A/H1N1, have been increasing, with doctor visits for influenza-like illnesses higher than expected during this time of year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
In preparation for an expected outbreak, federal advisors and President Barack Obama’s administration have been issuing warnings, reports and funding to help control the pandemic. A report by the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology said H1N1 would likely infect enough people to overwhelm doctors' offices and hospitals.
"The issue is not that the virus is more deadly than other flu strains, but rather, that it is likely to infect more people than usual because it is a new strain against which few people have immunity," the report said.
Following White House calls for shared responsibility in preventing the spread of H1N1, the Department of Health and Human Services released $350 million in September in preparedness grants to help state and local public health programs prepare for H1N1.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said it would pay healthcare providers the same rate to administer the H1N1 flu vaccine as the seasonal flu vaccine, even if the vaccinations are rendered earlier in the year than normal. The program will not pay physicians and other providers for the H1N1 vaccine itself, since it will be available to them for free.
The $13 billion point-of-care diagnostic industry is ready for the outbreak, according to healthcare market research publisher Kalorama Information.