The White House said in a statement that the president signed a proclamation Friday night to make the declaration, saying it makes it easier for healthcare providers to “handle a surge in H1N1 patients.”

NATIONAL EMERGENCY

“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,” it said.

“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,” the statement said.

In a separate statement sent to the Congress reporting the move, Obama said “the rapid increase in illness across the Nation may overburden health care resources and that the temporary waiver of certain standard Federal requirements may be warranted in order to enable U.S. health care facilities to implement emergency operations plans.”

The proclamation signed by Obama would make it easier for U.S. medical facilities to handle a surge in flu patients by allowing the waiver of some requirements of Medicare, Medicaid and other federal health insurance programs as needed, the White House said.

FLU WIDESPREAD

Since April, over 1,000 Americans have died and 20,000 more have been hospitalized by the virus, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, or CDC.

Thousands more have gotten sick from the flu with the onset of fall, resulting in mass absences from school and work across the country.

The flu has become widespread in 46 of the 50 U.S. states, a level comparable to the peak of ordinary flu seasons but far earlier and with more waves of infection expected.

The A/H1N1 flu has hit young adults and children the hardest as CDC officials estimated that 1 in 5 U.S. children had symptoms of A/H1N1.

CDC Director Thomas Frieden told reporters Friday that “many millions of cases” have occurred in the U.S. since the outbreak began last spring.

VACCINE PRODUCTION SLOWED

More worrisome is that vaccine production is slower than anticipated and drugmakers are unlikely to hit the U.S. government ‘s targets for delivery, Frieden said.

The amount of vaccine available as of Oct. 21 was 16.1 million doses, with 11.3 million doses shipped to doctors and clinics in local communities.

The nation won’t reach its target of 195 million doses by the end of the year because of productions delays at two drugmakers and GlaxoSmithKline Plc’s failure to gain regulatory approval for its product, said Nicole Lurie, Health and Human Services assistant secretary for preparedness and response.

But Frieden said “ultimately we have confidence there will be enough vaccine available for everyone who wants to be vaccinated.”