▁the ▁President ▁is ▁not ▁at ▁risk ▁of ▁obtain ing ▁the ▁flu . ▁Kath le en ▁Seb el ius ▁was ▁confirmed ▁as ▁the ▁Secretary ▁of ▁Health ▁and ▁Human ▁Services ▁by ▁the ▁Senate ▁on ▁April ▁ 2 8 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁with ▁a ▁vote ▁of ▁ 6 5 – 3 1 . ▁ ▁On ▁October ▁ 2 4 , ▁President ▁Ob ama ▁declared ▁the ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁H 1 N 1 ▁sw ine ▁flu ▁a ▁national ▁emer gency . ▁ ▁The ▁declaration ▁made ▁it ▁easier ▁for ▁U . S . ▁medical ▁facilities ▁to ▁handle ▁a ▁sur ge ▁in ▁flu ▁patients ▁by ▁allowing ▁the ▁w ai ver ▁of ▁some ▁requirements ▁of ▁Medic are , ▁Med ica id ▁and ▁other ▁federal ▁health ▁ins urance ▁programs ▁as ▁needed . ▁ ▁Cent ers ▁for ▁D ise ase ▁Control ▁and ▁Pre vention ▁( CD C ) ▁ ▁Activ ation ▁of ▁Emer gency ▁Oper ations ▁Center ▁During ▁the ▁week ▁of ▁April ▁ 1 9 , ▁ 2 0 0 9 , ▁the ▁CD C ▁activ ated ▁its ▁Emer gency ▁Oper ations ▁Center ▁( E OC ), ▁with ▁R AD M ▁Stephen ▁Red d ▁as ▁the ▁Inc ident ▁Commander , ▁to ▁augment ▁the ▁on going ▁investigation ▁of ▁human ▁cases ▁of ▁sw ine ▁influen za ▁A ▁( H 1 N 1 ). ▁More ▁than ▁ 2 5 0 ▁CD C ▁profession als ▁worked ▁from ▁the ▁CD C ▁E OC ▁as ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁ag ency ' s ▁response . ▁As ▁of ▁May ▁ 4 , ▁ 2 0