The Germ-Fighter in Chief

Health Secretary Kathleen Sebelius's Job Is to Educate Americans on Flu Prevention

This is the first of two days of stories about the flu. Come back Wednesday to get answers to questions you might have about the flu.

There is a woman whose job it is to try to keep you healthy -- and no, it isn't your mother.

Kathleen Sebelius is President Barack Obama's secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services, and she spends her days leading the federal government's effort to protect the health of Americans.

These days Sebelius, 61, is a very busy woman. Two of the most important issues in the country today involve the health of Americans: the spread of swine flu, and government efforts to improve the health-care system in the country.

One of her main jobs is educating people, especially kids, about how to avoid the flu.

Why are kids so important?

Because so far, Sebelius said, most of the people who have gotten swine flu, also called the H1N1 virus, in this country are between ages 5 and 24. Officials say that this fall as much as half of the U.S. population could become infected.

"It is important for kids to know that they can do something about this and not just sit around and wait to get sick," she said.

So Sebelius talks to kids a lot about washing their hands (for about 20 seconds each time in soapy water) and about never coughing or sneezing into the air or into your hands, even if it means using your sleeve if no tissue is available! Here's a reason for kids to like this government official: She urges kids to stay home from school if they feel sick.

For Sebelius, the mother of two sons in their 20s, government service runs in the family.

Her father, John Gilligan, was first elected to the City Council in Cincinnati, Ohio, when she was 5 and was in politics for decades. He won the 1970 race to be Ohio's governor. Three decades later, Kathleen, who had married K. Gary Sebelius, was elected governor of Kansas, and she was reelected in 2006.

She and her father are the first father and daughter to be governors in American history! Sebelius stepped down as governor when Obama asked her to move to Washington and become one of seven women in his Cabinet (his team of top advisers).

She said it meant a great deal to her that her dad, now 88, watched her take the oath of office. Sebelius said that her job keeps her busy from early morning to late at night but that each day is different.

She wakes up about 6 a.m. and tries to run about four miles down by the Mall and the Capitol. She gets into her office about 8:30 a.m. and attends many meetings. She also travels a lot around the country.

She goes to the White House about three times a week to discuss issues with top officials. Most nights she gets home about 10 p.m. -- but her work isn't yet done. She then reads about 50 pages of important material to get ready for the next day.

"I go home with homework every night," she said. "Kids need to understand that homework doesn't stop when they get out of school!"

-- Valerie Strauss