{"id":293,"date":"2009-05-02T12:41:51","date_gmt":"2009-05-02T18:41:51","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/barbadamslive.com\/?p=293"},"modified":"2009-05-02T14:13:09","modified_gmt":"2009-05-02T20:13:09","slug":"may-2-2009-saturday","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/barbadamslive.com\/?p=293","title":{"rendered":"May 2, 2009 – Saturday"},"content":{"rendered":"\n\n\n
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VIDEO: Obama addresses swine flu <\/a><\/h2>\n

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The threat of a global pandemic forced the federal government to take aggressive steps against the so-called swine flu this week, despite uncertainty about how potent or deadly it may be, President Barack Obama said in his Saturday radio and Internet address.<\/p>\n

It was a surprise change in topic. A White House aide told POLITICO Friday that the president planned to talk about education.<\/p>\n

The week, however, was dominated by the spread of the H1N1 virus across the country and the world. Some of the coverage has focused on whether health officials have overreacted to a strain that might turn out to be less threatening the seasonal flu, and so far hasn\u2019t proven fatal in the U.S., like it has in Mexico.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe cannot know for certain why that is, which is why we are taking all necessary precautions in the event that the virus does turn into something worse,\u201d Obama said.<\/p>\n

The administration has released a quarter of the 50 million courses of antiviral treatments in the Strategic National Stockpile, and requested $1.5 billion from Congress to purchase additional antivirals and develop a vaccine, Obama said.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt is my greatest hope and prayer that all of these precautions and preparations prove unnecessary,\u201d he said. \u201cBut because we have it within our power to limit the potential damage of this virus, we have a solemn and urgent responsibility to take the necessary steps. I would sooner take action now than hesitate and face graver consequences later.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n