An official from Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared Tuesday that the swine flu is a "young person's disease."

Administration officials will be meeting Wednesday with a Senate committee to talk about the country's response.

Young Hit Hard by Swine Flu

The CDC says the vast majority of people infected with the H1N1 virus are recovering.

However, more than 80 children have died so far, and new numbers suggest more children are becoming infected than any other group.

"We do think this is a young person's disease," said CDC Director Anne Schuchat.

New statistics released by the CDC show that of those hospitalized with this virus, seven percent are 65 and older, 39 percent are between the ages 25 and 64 -- but 53 percent are younger than 25.

"Much younger people are being affected at much higher rates," said Dr. Paul Hain of Vanderbilt Medical Center. "Our senior citizens have seen a strain like this some time in the past, so and that leaves the younger population much more vulnerable."

Battle on the Homefront

The Rivera family knows vulnerability. Dad was given a leave of absence from the war in Iraq to join the battle his 8-year-old daughter is waging against the swine flu.

"It's the worst feeling," he said. "I've never felt so scared about anything."

Doctors are now urging parents to be on the lookout for a critical warning sign: children who seem to be getting better, only to get suddenly worse.

They also say the best defense against the virus seems to be the vaccine -- and right now, the CDC says there are only 12 million doses of vaccine available.

However, the government has ordered another 250 million doses.