The rate at which the H1N1 flu virus has spread since its first detection has sent health officials and the world into a panic. Thankfully, outpacing the spread of the deadly flu strain at a much more impressive rate is the electronic viral phenom, Twitter. The CDC has taken stock and has partnered with the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) to launch a social media campaign to “encourage information sharing” (AHA News) about H1N1 on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media sites.
With a campaign slogan that could very easily be, ‘follow the flu before it follows you,’ information on the campaign is readily available at the CDC social media campaign website where you can find out how to ‘friend’ and start tracking status updates of the 2009 outbreak of novel influenza A.