CDC using social media properties to get the word out on H1N1

With the H1N1 swine flu virus spreading rapidly through college campuses throughout the U.S., the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention taps into social media to alert target demographics on the threats.

The H1N1 swine flu virus has yet to detail its full menu of discernible truthful traits for the northern hemisphere's flu season, however it is rearing its ugly face among college campuses across the country - and classes in most regions have yet to begin. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention have recognized this threat and are turning to social media outlets to get their message out. The CDC message is complicated, as the vaccination program itself is complicated - involving two separate dosages after the seasonal flu shot is administered - taken three weeks apart. In addition, the government "hopes to target around 50 percent of the population for vaccination, focusing on key groups including pregnant women and healthcare workers," according to a Reuters report. "The messages can be complicated," Kris Sheedy, a communications director with CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, told Reuters. The CDC feeds information through Twitter that details swine flu death figures and promotes other information programs. "The CDC Facebook page, which has more than 20,000 fans, includes information on how to prepare for swine flu and a lively discussion in its comments section," Reuters reported. According to the World Health Organization, the H1N1 swine flu virus will infect roughly 2 billion people worldwide. "We have literally mobilized more than 1,000 people at CDC to work on H1N1," CDC Director Dr. Thomas Frieden told Reuters. He added that the H1N1 swine flu virus is the agency's number one concern.