(The Whi te House via C-Span) "In keeping with the administration's proactive approach to H1N1 Flu, President Obama last night signed a proclamation declaring 2009-H1N1 Influenza a national emergency. The proclamation enhances the ability of our Nation's medical treatment facilities to handle a surge in H1N1 patients by allowing, as needed, the waiver of certain standard federal requirements on a case-by-case basis. ... The foundation of our national approach to the H1N1 flu has been preparedness at all levels -- personal, business, and government -- and this proclamation helps that effort by advancing our overall response capability. Please check Flu.gov for the most up-to-date news on H1N1, preparedness, and vaccine distribution."
The proclamation allows hospitals more leeway in handling the pandemic, without running afoul of federal guidelines. A report at msnbc.com, gives the following example of what the proclamation is designed to do: "For instance, federal rules do not allow hospitals to put up treatment tents more than 250 yards away from the doors; if the tents are 300 yards or more away, typically federal dollars won't go to pay for treatment." According to the Voice of America, the "proclamation which gives U.S. hospitals more flexibility if they need to handle large numbers of flu patients. ... the proclamation allows hospitals to request waivers of some government health-care rules on a case-by-case basis." For more details see "President Obama Signs Emergency Declaration for H1N1 Flu" at flu.gov. This document covers most of the details ("Section 1135 of the Social Security Act [42 USC §1320b-5] permits the Secretary of Health and Human Services to waive certain regulatory requirements for healthcare facilities in response to emergencies.") and is pretty wonky, but it is not unreadable.
