The H1N1 virus known as swine flu virus to you and I could infect between 30 percent and 50 percent of the American population during the fall and winter and lead to as many as 1.8 million U.S. hospital admissions, the President's Council of Advisers on Science and Technology reported. The report says 30,000 to 90,000 deaths are projected as part of a plausible scenario involving large outbreaks at schools inadequate antiviral supplies and the virus peaking before vaccinations have time to be effective. Up to 40,000 U.S. deaths are linked to seasonal flu each year with most of the fatalities occurring among people over 65. With seasonal flu and H1N1 this fall is expected to bring more influenza deaths and place enormous stress on intensive care units nationwide which normally operate near capacity the report says.

An H1N1 coming back may happen as early as September at the beginning of the school year and infections may peak in the middle of October according to the report. However the H1N1 vaccine isn't expected to be available until mid-October and even then it will take several weeks for vaccinated individuals to develop immunity the report says. What? The potential mismatch in timing could significantly diminish the usefulness of the H1N1 vaccine the report says. Why in the hell is there going to be a mismatch?

"Even with the best efforts this will cause some illness some severe illness and unfortunately some deaths" Thomas Frieden director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Monday. "But a lot so far has gone remarkably right," Frieden said. "There's a vaccine well on its way to being distributed, diagnostic tests available in well over 100 laboratories treatments pre-positioned around the country ... and guidance issued for health care providers schools,businesses and other communities."

I guess I just don't care we have had over 6 months to get ready for this flu and were not ready yet WTF!

Among the report's recommendations are for government agencies to:

• Prepare several "planning scenarios" to determine demand for supplies and care. (Is this when you plan what groups die and what groups live?)

• Set up surveillance systems to track information about influenza-like illnesses.

• Develop plans to protect the public's most vulnerable groups such as pregnant women and those with pre-existing medical conditions.

• Speed up the production of the H1N1 vaccine and have an initial batch -- enough to vaccinate up to 40 million people especially those who are at risk of serious disease -- by mid-September. Do ya think?

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the government's preparation and guidance for the public was based on the need to strike a balance "on a continuum of being paralyzed with fear versus complacency." Yea right like I should not be afraid of my kids dieing or anything after all you will plan out what groups live and die so I don't need to worry about it right?

So far clinical trials for the H1N1 vaccine have not indicated adverse side effects beyond what are experienced with the seasonal flu vaccine Sebelius said. However there would be no formal decision to launch a vaccination campaign until those trials were complete she said. Yea it would be better to die from Swine Flu than get a upset stomach. Good looking out Doc. That decision would be hers she said and she emphasized that any vaccination program would be strictly voluntary.

Pregnant women health care workers and parents or guardians of infants under 6 months of age are among the most vulnerable segments of the population Sebelius has said. Adults under the age of 65 with an underlying health condition such as asthma are also considered to be more at risk from the H1N1 virus.

H1N1 preparation guidelines for the nation's businesses and school systems were released three weeks ago. The H1N1 vaccine would require two shots the second three weeks after the first. Immunity to the virus would not kick in until two weeks after the second shot.

The World Health Organization declared the H1N1 virus a global pandemic on June 11. More than 1,490 people around the world have died from the virus since it emerged this spring a WHO official said last week. I think with this great planing that has been done for the up and coming flu season that number is ready to sky rocket.  Time to break out that sexy, useless doctors mask.

I guess this is a good time to ask, do you still want government health care?