Swine Flu

Dr. Obama: Wash Your Hands

Government ramps up anti-swine flu efforts.

Best get-out-of-work excuse ever: the president told me to stay home. On Tuesday, President Obama said Americans should avoid the workplace when sick, wash their hands frequently, and cover sneezes with a sleeve, not a hand, in order to contain swine flu, the Associated Press reports. In addition, the federal government will ramp up what Obama called a "voluntary but strongly recommended" H1N1 vaccination program. New York City schools will be offering free versions of the vaccine, delivered by nasal mist, to their 1 million-plus students this fall. Health officials are preparing for a possible swine flu explosion this fall, when half of Americans could be infected with the virus, possibly killing as many as 90,000 people--more than double the death toll of the typical flu.