Obama Says Swine Flu ‘Not a Cause for Alarm’

Kevin Lamarque/Reuters President Obama spoke at the annual meeting of the National Academy of Sciences.

President Obama said on Monday that the growing number of cases of swine flu in the United States and abroad was “not a cause for alarm,” but he sought to assure Americans that the government was taking precautions to prepare for the prospect of a global health pandemic.

“We are closely monitoring the emerging cases of swine flu in the United States,” Mr. Obama said, speaking at the National Academy of Sciences. “This is obviously the cause for concern and requires a heightened state of alert, but it’s not a cause for alarm.”

The remarks by Mr. Obama, which came at the beginning of a previously-scheduled speech that he delivered to scientists in Washington, marked the first time the president has personally addressed the swine flu. He said his administration was monitoring the disease and taking precautions to ward off a wider spread of the swine flu, which emerged from Mexico last week.

Mr. Obama said the swine flu outbreak underscored the need for a larger investment in scientific research in the United States. He said science should not be seen as a luxury, but rather as a key element of the nation’s security.

“Science is more essential for our prosperity, our security, our health, our environment and our quality of life than it has ever been before,” Mr. Obama said. “If there was ever a day that reminded us of our shared stake in science and research, it is today.”

Mr. Obama said federal funding for physical sciences, as a proportion of the gross domestic product, has fallen by nearly half over the last quarter century. He used the speech to bolster his argument for increasing funding to scientific research, which is a challenge given the budget shortfalls and economic condition of the country.