In a recent statement released by the White House, it has warned the citizens of the United States of a swine flu outbreak, bigger than the current one in the fall season. In the wake of this news, authorities and concerned agencies have announced to start a vaccination drive in the month of October this year and have also offered monetary assistance to states and hospitals to combat the impending epidemic.

In a telephonic statement given by U.S President Barrack Obama at White House’s H1N1 Influenza Preparedness Summit he said,

“The potential for a significant outbreak in the fall is looming. With good planning, we may end up averting a crisis. That’s our fervent hope.”

As per reports, U.S health services are in the process of testing the vaccines and the process is stated to begin by the month of August. If the test results are proved to be reliable and successful, then inoculation procedures are expected are expected to begin in the month of October this year. At the time of the vaccination drive, due to the limited supply of the vaccines, the most likely strata of population to be given these doses are school children, health care workers, pregnant women and those patients with existing allergies such as asthma and other conditions that can make such patients more susceptible to a swine flu infection.

According to Dr. Thomas R. Frieden (Head, CDC), the swine flu threat is still very much real and has is spreading at a rapid rate in various places across Chile, Argentina and Australia. Also, flu season is about to begin in these regions, making them even more vulnerable towards a swine flu outbreak. There has also been a widespread concern in the health care community, ever since three new drug-resistant strains have been reported that are immune towards the only known drug capable of combating swine flu, Tamiflu.

Via New York Times.