Department of Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today extended legal immunity to health care providers who administer the antiviral drugs Tamiflu and Relenza to treat patients for the 2009 H1N1 flu. Today’s announcement is retroactive to April 26. The Public Readiness and Emergency Preparedness Act authorizes the secretary to grant such immunity during a declared public health emergency to ensure that the countermeasures are available and can be administered in the event of a pandemic. HHS previously granted the same protections to treat the H5N1 avian flu. In related news, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that, as of May 13, 48 health care workers had either confirmed or probable infections with the H1N1 flu. Of those, CDC had detailed information for 26 cases and concluded that 13 acquired the infection in a health care setting. For infection control guidance in the health care setting, visit the CDC Web site.