IF THINGS GO AS PLANNED, THE H-1-N-1 FLU VACCINE WILL BE AVAILABLE TO CHILDREN, PREGNANT WOMEN, AND PEOPLE WITH EXISTING HEALTH CONDITIONS... AS EARLY AS NEXT WEEK.

AND THE GENERAL POPULATION SHOULD BE ABLE TO GET SHOTS... SOON-AFTER.

BUT EVEN WITH 6-TO-7 MILLION DOSES SET FOR DISTRIBUTION NEXT WEEK... AND ABOUT 75-MILLION DOSES AVAILABLE BY THE END OF THE YEAR... THE GOVERNMENT PREDICTS TENS OF MILLIONS OF AMERICANS WILL CONTRACT THE H-1-N-1 VIRUS, THIS FLU SEASON.

AND... AS SUSAN HENDRICKS REPORTS FOR "TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE"... IN SOME PARTS OF THE COUNTRY, AN OUTBREAK COULD MEAN BIG TROUBLE FOR SOME HOSPITALS.

HOSPITAL BEDS COULD BE SCARCE THIS FLU SEASON. THE NON-PROFIT "TRUST FOR AMERICA'S HEALTH" SAYS IF 35-PERCENT OF AMERICANS GET SICK FROM H-1-N-1, DURING THE PEAK OF THE OUTBREAK, HOSPITALS IN 15 STATES COULD BE OVERWHELMED. THE TRUST FOR AMERICA'S HEALTH GAUGED ITS ESTIMATES USING A PREDICTIVE MODEL CALLED "FLUSURGE," DEVELOPED BY THE CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION. THAT 35-PERCENT NUMBER -- JUST OVER 100 MILLION AMERICANS -- FALLS TOWARD THE LOW END OF THE GOVERNMENT'S ESTIMATE THAT 30-TO-50 PERCENT OF THE POPULATION COULD CONTRACT H-1-N-1. IF THE FLUSURGE MODEL PROVES ACCURATE, IT'LL BE HARDEST TO FIND A HOSPITAL BED IN THE NORTHEAST CORRIDOR, WITH MEDICAL CENTERS IN VIRGINIA, MARYLAND, DELAWARE, NEW JERSEY, NEW YORK, CONNECTICUT AND MASSACHUSETTS ALL OVER CAPACITY. DELAWARE WOULD HAVE THE HARDEST TIME. THE MODEL PREDICTS MORE THAN TWO SICK PEOPLE FOR EVERY HOSPITAL BED IN DELAWARE AT THE OUTBREAK'S PEAK. FOR TODAY'S HEALTH MINUTE, I'M SUSAN HENDRICKS.

Sinai-Grace Hospital is offering free comprehensive health screenings this weekend.

Participants will receive free blood pressure checks, foot and eye exams and glucose checks.

The event is this Saturday at Hope United Methodist Church at 26275 Northwestern Highway between 10 am and 2 pm.

For more information or to register call 1-888-D-M-C-2500.