HHS Secretary to unveil new H1N1 flu vaccination advertisement

U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius will hold a press conference call at 12 p.m. EST, Thursday, December 31^st, to announce a new H1N1 flu vaccination advertisement that will air during four College Football Bowl Games held over the New Year's holidays. She will also discuss other ways that college athletic teams can encourage young people and all Americans to get vaccinated against the H1N1 flu in order to help prevent a possible third wave of H1N1 in early 2010.

Sports teams, colleges and universities have been important partners in the fight against the H1N1 flu. In an effort to build on sports’ teams’ and colleges’ success in raising awareness about the importance of getting the H1N1 flu vaccine, Secretary Sebelius and Education Secretary Arne Duncan recently sent a letter asking college athletic directors and university presidents to air H1N1 flu public service announcements during games and make short announcements over the public address systems in stadiums, field houses and athletic fields about the need to fight the flu through vaccination and basic preventative tactics.