On June 11, 2009, the World Health Organization (WHO) raised the pandemic flu threat level to phase 6 -- the highest alert level -- and officially declared the H1N1 flu virus (also known as "swine flu") a pandemic flu.

Although H1N1 is now officially considered a pandemic flu virus, the United States had already activated pandemic response measures. Therefore, the U.S. public health officials' response to the virus has not changed. H1N1 flu cases continue to be comparable in severity to the regular seasonal flu.

Raising the threat level to level 6 will allow the WHO, as well as public health authorities throughout the United States, to work with vaccine manufacturers to speed up production of an H1N1 flu vaccine, as well as free up funds for treatment and prevention in countries with fewer health care resources than the United States.

The increased alert level does not change our response to the H1N1 flu. We encourage you to continue practicing the same healthy habits to prevent infection from seasonal and pandemic flu:

• Wash your hands often.
• Cover your nose and mouth with a tissue when you cough or sneeze, and throw the tissue in the trash after you use it.
• Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth.
• Stay home if you are sick, and limit your contact with others.

We continue to follow the H1N1 flu situation closely and will post updates to our Web site as we receive new information.

If an H1N1 vaccine becomes available, we will hold special vaccine clinics for patients. (It is estimated that it will take a minimum of four to six months for an H1N1 vaccine to be available for use.) Additionally, we will be doing our usual seasonal flu vaccine clinics in the fall. We will post a schedule of these clinics once they have been scheduled.

For more information about the H1N1 flu, visit:

California Department of Public Health

U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

World Health Organization

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