President urges all to take precautions on swine flu

After a briefing by senior officials on the nation’s preparedness, Obama said the federal government is ramping up a coordinated plan, including a “completely voluntary,’’ but “strongly recommended’’ vaccinations for the H1N1 virus.

“I don’t want anybody to be alarmed, but I do want everyone to be prepared,’’ he told reporters in the Rose Garden.

Vaccine development is ongoing and is likely to be available by October; Obama said scientists are making steady progress on developing a safe and effective vaccine.

The global swine flu epidemic first emerged in April, sickening more than 1 million Americans and killing about 500. More than 2,000 people have died worldwide.

Health officials are preparing for a surge in cases this fall. Half of all Americans could be infected with the virus and as many as 90,000 could die - more than double the typical death toll from seasonal flu, according to a report issued late last month by the President’s Council of Advisers on Science and Technology.

Certain groups are more vulnerable to swine flu, including children under 2, pregnant women, and people with health problems such as asthma, diabetes, and heart disease.

Like the seasonal flu, swine flu spreads through coughs and sneezes of people who are sick.

Obama said there are precautions people can take to lower their risk of infection, like washing their hands frequently and staying home if they feel sick.

“I know it sounds simple, but it’s important and it works,’’ he said.

The federal government is banking on Elmo to get the good hygiene message to families with younger children.

The cuddly “Sesame Street’’ character stars in a public service ad campaign rolled out yesterday by the departments of Health and Human Services, Homeland Security, and Education.

The four versions of the ads focus on washing your hands, sneezing into the bend of your arm, and avoiding contact with your eyes, nose, and mouth.

“We are thrilled to partner with Elmo, Gordon, and Sesame Workshop again to emphasize the steps kids and their parents can take to stay happy and healthy this school year,’’ Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said in a statement.

In New York City, the nation’s largest school district said it will offer free swine flu vaccinations to its 1 million-plus schoolchildren as the city tries to avoid becoming the country’s flu epicenter again in the fall. Officials said the vaccine - also available to private school children - would mostly be given to children through a “mist’’ in the nose rather than by injection.

Last spring, the virus rapidly spread among high school students in New York, where officials estimate as many as 1 million people were sickened and more than 50 people died.

Brenda Greene, director of school health programs for the National School Boards Association, said the city could wind up being “a great role model’’ for school districts across the country, but she was also surprised by the announcement, given questions about the availability of the vaccine.

New York City Health Commissioner Thomas Farley said that the city expects to receive 1.2 million doses of the vaccine in October, and then more after that.

Mayor Michael Bloomberg and officials from his health, schools, and emergency departments announced the vaccine plan as part of the city’s multipronged strategy to manage the next wave of swine flu.

“We know New Yorkers are concerned, very understandably, about the risks that they might face,’’ Bloomberg said. “Our job is to plan in case it is a big deal.’’