It was a year ago this week that America learned about a new strain of flu that was killing people in Mexico and some parts of the southwestern United States. Later, some health leaders predicted swine flu, as it was called then, had the potential to kill close to 100,000 people in the U.S. alone. The numbers of deaths, though, related to H1N1 are radically lower than foretasted. WOSU talked with health officials about swine flu a year later.

The Ohio Department of Health has lifted restrictions on who can receive the H1N1 vaccine. Previously the vaccine was limited to high risk groups including children, pregnant women and people with underlying medical conditions.

Columbus Health officials say a five-year- old city boy who had the H1N1 virus died last month.

A second Columbus area child has died after being infected with the H1N1 flu virus.

As the flu season continues hospitals are seeing more cases of H1N1. Ohio State Medical Center has a number of people who are critically ill with the disease. WOSU reports most patients in ICU are on some kind of life support.

Catholic churches in Columbus are reviewing some of their worship rituals in an effort to stop the spread of swine flu. The bishop’s office has written to parishes urging them to take precautions. But it stopped short of making parishes suspend practices like shaking hands or drinking from a shared communion cup.

Worried parents of young children flocked to a Swine Flu Vaccine Clinic at the Historical Society today. But as soon as the doors opened at 2pm, the site was at capacity and officials starting turning others away.

Minority physicians in Central Ohio are doing their part to spread the word about swine flu vaccinations. The group of doctors are concerned too many African-Americans and other people of color are unaware of the benefits of the vaccine.

An estimated 23-hundred people lined up at the Columbus Health Department for a swine flu vaccination. Another flu vaccination clinic is scheduled this afternoon in Grove City.