Nearly 1,000 Americans have died from the virus since April, including 76 children. And the fact that we're only in October, the beginning of flu season, doesn't bode well for the chilly months ahead.

Anne Schuchat, director of the Center for Disease Control's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases, said of the swine flu: 'Unfortunately we are seeing more illness, more hospitalizations, and more deaths."

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says the H1N1 swine flu vaccine is perfectly safe, and urges Americans to get both the H1N1 and seasonal flu vaccines. In fact, new research shows that injections for both seasonal flu and H1N1 swine flu can be given at the same time.

Here are the facts:

• The H1N1 swine flu vaccine is safe. It has been licensed by the Food and Drug Administration, and is manufactured in the same way as the seasonal flu virus, which has been the standard for more than 60 years.

• The swine flu vaccine has been extensively tested. It has been tested on thousands of volunteers and has been proven to protect against the H1N1 virus and cause no adverse reactions.

• The nasal spray version of the vaccine is safe. It uses technology that has been used safely in flu vaccines for 30 years, including the seasonal flu vaccine FluMist.

• The seasonal flu vaccine does not protect against H1N1 swine flu. The H1N1 flu vaccine is a separate vaccine.

Unless you're Paris Hilton, you already know that you can't get swine flu from eating pork. But if you're concerned about your health, you need to get the facts. WebMD's H1N1 Swine Flu Center is a great place to start.