Physicians treating critically ill patients with H1N1 influenza will soon have access to new antiviral drugs supported by HHS/BARDA and administered intravenously under a CDC-sponsored Emergency Use Authorization.

I want to thank the three of you for your testimony this morning and go back to the beginning and thank you for the work that you have done since this H1N1 virus appeared and broke out in April of this year.

So now let me go to the vaccine. Am I correct that a decision has been made that if we can develop a vaccine for swine flu, we will definitely make it?

I think there is a lot of reason for the American people to feel encouraged that the Federal Government is really there on this occasion protecting them.

Well, we learned a lot and we thank you.

Thank you very much, Secretary Duncan. Very helpful information.

The advice now nationally and from the State is not to close schools, but to send kids home who seem to be sick.

I assume that if we decided to produce a vaccine because we found one that worked on swine flu, the aim here would be to produce 300 million doses so that we could at least have the capacity to administer one to every American?

Thanks, Senator Kirk.

Another way it has been helpful to have people on site...is to have representatives from State and local health departments...

I think we have been taking this very seriously, so the numbers were expected for me.

But the probability is if you get the antiviral treatment, once you have been confirmed, you are going to get better.

Oh, that is great; a healthy population up there.

I want to express my concern that hospitals and Public Health Departments do not have the capacity to care for the surge of people who may need hospitalization as a result of the spread of the virus.

I did not come here this morning feeling--and I still do not--that we have to close the border with Mexico.

So the small number of cases is good to hear but do you have it at UConn now?

How much does it cost you to implement such a system? And then what are the economic consequences and personal consequences on our country and our neighbors in Mexico?

I would say it depends. I think certainly throughout the rest of this or until things even out...

That would be complete delivery of the 25 percent.

this is very important to the Committee not only because of the concern that influenza epidemics and pandemics will continue in the years ahead--you are right, we cannot expect to wait another 30 years--but also, of course, because of our…

But you will certainly be one of the points of distribution for people who come in and show that they are in one of the vulnerable or priority populations, and you will give them the vaccine right there.

Yes. That is great. We will see, though.

This gets to the healthy aging idea again.

Thanks very much for that testimony, Madam Secretary.

Thanks very much, Senator Collins.