Although the H1N1 virus, better known as the “swine flu,” has not received a great deal of attention from the media lately, it is still very much a threat to schools and college campuses around the country. With students interacting within close proximity of one another, opportunities for the virus to spread are increased substantially. As such, health care workers at colleges and universities are working quickly at sticking up on flu-fighting drugs and asks in order to reduce the chances of an outbreak. In addition, they are encouraging students to get an annual flu vaccination as well as the H1N1 vaccination, which will be available in mid-October.

Here’s a look at some of the measures that are being taken at specific colleges and universities:

· The University of Wisconsin – working on developing ways to get food to students who have to remain in their dorms due to infection while also putting some routine appointments on hold in order to free up the student health center in order to deal with the anticipated influx of flu patients.
· Arizona State University – stocking up on Tamiflu and is encouraging faculty and staff to lead the way toward combating the virus.
· University of Virginia – taking steps to educate resident advisors about the virus, as officials expect the virus to appear within just a few days after students arrive on campus.
· Amherst College (Massachusetts) – keeping two of its residential halls empty so infected students can be isolated.
· Mount Holyoke (Massachusetts) – planning to provide a private car in order to send infected students home if they live within 250 miles of the school. Those who live further away will likely be assigned to isolated quarters on the campus.
· St. John’s College (Maryland) – keeping a gymnasium available on campus so students can be isolated if needed.
· Carnegie-Mellon University (Pittsburgh) – keeping an unused sorority house open for infected students.
· Hamilton College (New York) – delivering “flu kits” and food crates to moderately ill students who are staying in their rooms and plans to move seriously ill students into isolated housing.

According to Health and Human Services, that college-age students are more vulnerable to falling ill to the swine flu than they are to the regular winter flu. Therefore, experts are stressing the importance of monitoring students within this age category and making certain they seek the medical attention they need.