UC Davis students are sporting a new status symbol as the campus gears up for the start of classes — a small bandage over the spot of their seasonal flu vaccination.

“This is where it’s at,” says Corinne Herman of Camarillo in Ventura County, who was vaccinated at one of three campus clinics held this week especially for residence hall students. “I want to stay safe and not get sick — and not get my dorm mates sick.”

Employees to see their own providers

Student Health Services is offering seasonal flu vaccinations by appointment and at special clinics as part of broader efforts to prepare for and mitigate a potential outbreak on campus. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says individuals ages 5 to 24 are among the hardest hit by the H1N1 flu and recommends early seasonal flu vaccination to assist in reducing its spread.

Three additional student vaccination clinics are scheduled for Oct. 7, 8 and 9.

Employees are advised to see their primary care providers about a seasonal flu vaccination.

Tom Ferguson, medical director of Student Health Services and an assistant public health officer for Yolo County, said UC Davis has requested thousands of H1N1 vaccinations, expected to arrive in October.

For more information about UC Davis and the H1N1 flu, visit www.ucdavis.edu/emergency/h1n1/.