The federal government today released its plans today to combat the H1N1/swine flu virus, just days after the city did the same.

The Centers for Disease Control is recommending all children six months and older should receive 2009 H1N1 vaccine when it becomes available.

“We’re trying to reach out to children in large numbers, and parents, to get kids vaccinated, because we know that so many kids can get the flu and the vaccine is likely to be quite effective,” said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. “My kids will get the flu vaccine when it becomes available and I would recommend that all school children get vaccinated.”

Frieden says flu is very unpredictable, but they do expect to see more cases.

Officials are stressing that children with high-risk medical conditions are particularly at risk.

New numbers published in the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly show as of August 8, 36 of the 477 deaths associated with H1N1 in the United States have been children.

Of the children who died, 67 percent had at least one chronic high-risk medical condition.

Most of the children who died of H1N1 were school age, whereas the seasonal flu’s victims are usually age four and younger.

(Source: NY1)