Bloomberg: New York, Los Angeles and Boston are setting up swine flu centers to administer vaccinations as part of a plan to slow the spread of the virus that U.S. health officials have said may infect half the nation’s population.

New York will offer free immunizations at elementary schools and distribute the vaccine through about 100 health clinics, according to plans released today by Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s office. Los Angeles will give out shots at its fair grounds, Boston is letting city employees leave work for two hours to get vaccinated and Chicago’s schools plan to track real-time attendance for the first time to identify hotspots, spokesmen for those municipalities said.

Cities nationwide are completing plans to distribute the H1N1 vaccine, which the U.S. will provide for free. The shots are being tested and will be available in mid-October, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Patients will still have to pay to have the vaccine administered unless states and cities agree to cover those costs, as New York has.

Fastest-Moving Pandemic

Swine flu has become the world’s fastest-moving influenza pandemic, sweeping across 177 countries in the four months since it was first identified, the CDC said. Lab tests have confirmed H1N1 in 2,185 deaths and more than 209,000 infections, though most infected patients aren’t tested, according to the Geneva- based World Health Organization.

H1N1 may infect 30 to 50 percent of the U.S. population, according to planning scenario released by outside advisers to the White House on Aug. 24.

The U.S. is already undergoing the highest flu rates for this time of year since the 1968 Hong Kong flu, said Joe Quimby, a CDC spokesman, in an Aug. 30 telephone interview. While the U.S. flu season normally runs from November to March, swine flu continued to circulate during the summer with outbreaks seen in at least 80 summer camps, the CDC said.

Distributing the Vaccine

The U.S. government is paying for shots, nasal sprays and related supplies. It’s up to states to decide how to distribute the vaccine and who should pay for the doctor visits, according to the CDC.

Stay healthy. WETKEYS.com has launched a pre-emptive disease control initiative that includes drastically reduced pricing on its washable and sanitary computer keyboard and mouse products that help computer users protect health and safety.

New York, L.A., Boston Set Up Swine Flu Vaccination Centers

U.S. health agencies and officials meet today to discuss H1N1 “swine” flu preparation and prevention methods for the fall flu season. “Prevention is everyone’s business. Parents, children, teachers, school leaders, communities, government and businesses, we need do our part individually and collectively prevent the spread of the flu virus,” said U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan. A washable keyboard and mouse help control the spread of germs. They are easily disinfected and can be fully submerged in cleaning solution. 

WASHINGTON-The White House today announced that Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano, Education Secretary Arne Duncan, and Homeland Security Advisor John Brennan will host an all-day H1N1 Flu Preparedness Summit with states to further prepare this nation for the possibility of a more severe outbreak of H1N1 flu.  The Summit will be held on July 9, 2009 at the Natcher Conference Center at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland.

The White House Announces H1N1 Flu Preparedness Summit

The spread of the H1N1 “Swine” Flu spread continues to make headlines. Bloomberg reported that South Korea plans to secure enough of the vaccine for 13 million people, almost 1/3 of the population. South Korea has confirmed over 230 cases of the H1N1Flu and has closed two schools to date to help prevent the continued spread. 

 Washing hands and disinfecting shared appliances are highly recommended in defense of the H1N1 Flu. I got this great, washable keyboard at WETKEYS.com; cleaning washable keyboards has proven to eliminate harmful bacteria. Once I heard about the scares of swine flu, I decided to get one. Washing my keyboard daily makes me feel protected. You should get one too!

South Korea to Amass Swine Flu Vaccine for 13 Million

Health and safety represent the WETKEYS mission. We take an urgent public health emergency like the Swine Flu outbreak very seriously. As Swine Influenza continues to spread and the World Health Organization (WHO) and Centers for Disease Control (CDC) work quickly to provide recommendations for Swine Flu Prevention, WETKEYS strongly recommends washing your keyboard and mouse when you wash your hands.

Reports from WHO, the CDC and international medical experts confirm that the path of transmission for swine influenza includes contact surfaces. Dr. Richard Besser, acting head for the CDC, says that as a preventive measure, “I would rather people really focus on hand washing.” In addition, the CDC recommends that people try not to touch surfaces that may be contaminated by the flu virus.

All shared computers are a potential health hazard, particularly if an individual with flu symptoms uses the keyboard and mouse. Washing with hot soapy water or using chemical disinfecting spray may be sufficient to eliminate the threat posed by the swine flu virus on data entry surfaces.

To help keep you safe and healthy, WETKEYS offers the largest selection of washable, sanitary and easy to disinfect keyboards and computer mice – the things you touch all day. WETKEYS products are Your Key to Good Health