Assistant professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases, Department of Medicine, Emory University School of Medicine; Medical director of the Hope Clinic of the Emory Vaccine Center; investigator in the adult H1N1 influenza clinical trials.
With the arrival of fall, and schools and colleges well under way, Georgia already has seen a substantial number of cases of novel H1N1 flu. Although it appears that most cases have been mild, there have been more serious cases, just as there are every year with seasonal flu.

Doctors in the region have noted serious illness not only among individuals with underlying medical conditions but also among young, previously healthy individuals.

The U.S. government declared the H1N1 outbreak a public health emergency in April 2009, and two months later the World Health Organization classified the outbreak a pandemic, reflecting its widespread nature. To minimize the impact of H1N1 flu in our community, public health experts have been providing information on prevention and management to the public and health care providers.