$350 million for H1N1 flu preparedness

WASHINGTON, July 10 (UPI) -- U.S. officials Friday announced $350 million in grants to help states and territories prepare for H1N1 flu virus this fall.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said the grants were funded by the recent supplemental appropriations bill passed by Congress and signed into law by President Barack Obama.

A total of $260 million in Public Health Emergency Response Grants and $90 million in Hospital Preparedness grants will be distributed nationwide, Sebelius said.

Public Health Emergency Response grants help state public health departments perform a variety of functions, including preparing for potential vaccination campaigns, implementing strategies to reduce people's exposure to influenza A H1N1 and improving influenza surveillance.

Hospital Preparedness grants enhance the ability of hospitals and healthcare systems to prepare for and respond to public health emergencies. Local outbreaks of the H1N1 flu this spring and summer virus have produced a surge of patients at hospitals and the grants will help ensure hospitals are ready for future outbreaks that may strike their community, the government said.

Any American can record and submit public service announcement regarding H1N1 flu preparedness by visiting www.flu.gov. The entries will be judged by experts and the winner will receive a $2,500 prize and the opportunity to have the announcement aired on television across the country, Sebelius said.