The leaves are falling, the temperature is dropping, and the days are becoming shorter. Flu season has arrived in Ithaca. Prof. Susan Daniel, chemical and biomolecular engineering, researches cell membrane mimics and novel devices for the study of transmembrane species interactions. Such interactions are important for the study of flu viruses, the study of how viruses affect host cells. and subsequently, the study of vaccines.

After a fall semester filled with swine flu cases, the H1N1 virus showed little signs of resurgence when students returned from the spring. Now, Gannett is focused on preventive measures.

The number of individuals diagnosed with probable H1N1 at Gannett has slightly increased during the past two weeks, yet such statistics remain drastically lower than those during the peak of the illness at the beginning of the semester.

With its first shipment of 1,600 H1N1 influenza vaccines received on Friday, Gannett will distribute the vaccines to students with underlying health conditions, those who are pregnant and those who care for infants under six months of age.

With Gannett still seeing eight to 15 new cases of probable H1N1 flu per day, Tompkins County Health Department received its first batch of H1N1 flu vaccine in an attempt to combat the spread of the virus during the coming months.

All university students who shadow at a clinical site should strongly consider getting immunized for both H1N1 and seasonal flu as soon as the vaccine becomes available, if it is not already mandated for you. In New York State all healthcare workers are being mandated to get both vaccines for seasonal flu and H1N1. This includes physicians, nurses, social workers, laboratory technicians, housekeeping, security/transportation services, construction workers, and even hospital volunteers. Technically, even construction workers and food vendors need to get vaccinated now. Thus far, New York State is the only state to have passed this mandate. Earlier this week, nurse union leaders led demonstrations in Washington D.C., claiming that this mandate is unethical.

A line of people spilled out of the Straight Memorial Room onto Ho Plaza, took a bend outside the Cornell Store and stretched all the way to McGraw Tower Friday. The line could be spotted for the entire day, when about 2,000 people received their seasonal flu shot.

Gannett Health Service’s vaccination clinic, the first opportunity for many Cornellians to receive a flu shot this semester, was the largest clinic Gannett had ever held, according to Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations at Gannett.

However, uncertainly over the arrival of additional vaccine may delay future clinics.

So as to avoid overlap in the distribution of seasonal flu and H1N1 flu vaccinations, Gannett Health Services will begin distributing the seasonal flu vaccine on Friday, about a month earlier than usual compared to past years. Gannett wants to finish administering seasonal flu vaccinations before the H1N1 vaccines arrive so that the distribution system does not become too congested.

“Our plan is to offer vaccination clinics throughout the fall semester to offer the vaccine we have (whether seasonal or H1N1) when we have it,” Sharon Dittman, associate director of community relations at Gannett Health Services, stated in an e-mail. “Though we are starting early with seasonal flu vaccine, we will offer H1N1 vaccine as it starts to come in.”

Approximately 2,400 students attended the first day of Cornell’s annual University Career Fair Days yesterday, sanitizing their hands between handing out resumes as fears of the H1N1 virus continue to grow.

The two-day long event began with the General Interest Career Fair, aimed at recruiting students of all majors and backgrounds for creative and business-oriented positions. The second day is focused on recruiting for engineering and technical positions.

A special “No Handshake Policy” was put into effect at this year’s fair to ease students’ and employers’ fears of getting sick.