The vaccine should be available midOctober

In the United States

"sesame street" and YouTube

Across the Atlantic, influenza A (H1N1) is treated as a threat to public health, but national security also. The departments of health, Interior and Education work for several months to develop a strategy for information and action. With two communication campaigns launched this month at destination of the demographic groups most vulnerable: children and young adults.

The Government has recruited the services of Gordon and Elmo, two characters of the "sesame street" children's TV show. The clip, broadcast on the Internet and on television, this hygiene to prevent contamination - wash your hands often, sneeze in the crook of... At the same time, a video contest was launched in July last by Kathleen Sebelius, Secretary of health, for the creation of a campaign on YouTube for young adults. The Ten finalists have been designated in early September and announced on the social networks Facebook and Twitter. The winner, unveiled on September 22, received an award of $ 2,500.

In Great Britain

mobilizing all-out

Influenza A is no longer the obsession that could be this summer for the British public, but the United Kingdom prepares for a second wave in the hope of having a vaccine as early as October. Public authorities are developing at the moment their communication on the vaccination campaign. "We will turn to the British directly and through general practitioners receive priority groups (patients weakened by disease, pregnant...)", it says in the Ministry of health.

Britain is one of the first countries to have been affected. The number of new cases was around 100,000 in July. From may, leaflets have been sent to all households, a television information campaign was launched, and a telephone information service has been implemented. The companies received instructions to organize themselves to deal with the absence of sick employees.

The strategy of the Government information is not that of the met in the population, some regretting that it has maintained a sense of panic. The Ministry of health argues that high mortality risk justified his campaign. The H1N1 flu virus killed 82 people in the United Kingdom.

By Germany

little concerned public opinion

Campaign for the legislative very tight September 27, controversial air strike in Afghanistan, terrorist threats to the country, wages declining and unlikely to lift the unemployment: the flu is not really at the top of the concerns of the Germans. This does not mean that the Ministry of health will prepare not. The Germany has ordered 50 million doses of vaccine, which should enable to protect 25 million people (2 doses per patient), and identified several priority groups: first personal health and public safety, followed by pregnant women and people suffering from chronic diseases, and then by the people over 60 years.

The vaccine should be available mid-October. The Government has planned to launch an information campaign a little earlier. These are the Länder will have responsibility for the distribution of vaccines. Opinion polls show a certain distrust of the population for these vaccines. The date of September 23, some 19.500 cases of infection have been recorded, but no death has been to the country.