Bethesda -- Gov. Martin O'Malley said Thursday that Maryland and other states will be better prepared to deal with a swine flu pandemic this fall because of problems encountered in coping with the outbreak earlier in the year.
The Democratic governor made the remarks at the National Institutes of Health during a daylong meeting that brought state and federal officials together at a White House flu "summit."
A national vaccination drive is likely to begin in mid-October, said Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who cautioned that no final decision has been made.
Schools and day-care centers are potential vaccination sites, since children are among those at highest risk. Others in line for early priority include pregnant women and young adults with underlying conditions - such as asthma, diabetes, extreme obesity, and chronic lung and heart disease - that make them more susceptible to the disease.
President Barack Obama, who addressed the meeting via phone link from the G-8 summit in Italy, said the government "may end up averting a crisis. That's our hope."
Scientists are still working on development of a swine flu vaccine, while monitoring the pandemic's spread in the Southern Hemisphere, where the annual flu season is at its peak. Experimental tests could begin next month, said Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases.
O'Malley, who moderated a panel discussion, praised the administration for refining the advice it gives state and local officials. In May, fuzzy guidance from federal authorities was blamed for causing school districts to overreact, prompting criticism of public officials in Maryland.
A total of 726 schools shut down, including six in Maryland, affecting almost 500,000 children nationwide.
U.S. Education Secretary Arne Duncan said the administration is developing guidelines that will help officials decide on a case-by-case basis whether to keep classrooms open.
He said O'Malley "let us know when we weren't doing a good job of communicating."
In an interview, O'Malley said Maryland is "well prepared, and we want to become very well prepared" to deal with a pandemic this fall. He said state officials would be able to communicate with the public and local officials in more "predictable and regular ways" as a result of lessons learned.
