Although Temple students have just gotten back to class, the university’s Office of Student and Employee Health Services has been preparing for their return for weeks, in anticipation of a particularly active flu season.

The American College Health Association has already reported a total of 1,640 new cases of the H1N1 flu virus nationwide, and the number is expected to grow. The nature of college living makes students particularly susceptible to the virus, said Mark Denys, associate director of student and employee health services at Temple.

“College campuses are built for close contact,” he said. “You’ve got six to eight students in one residence for example, and you’ve got students sharing everything from cigarettes to make-up to pillows. All of these provide the perfect breeding ground for illness.”

But Denys’ office has been working overtime to ensure that despite the close quarters, Temple students and employees stay safe and healthy this flu season.

The week before classes, Student Health Services sent an e-mail to faculty, staff and all incoming students, offering proactive tips to stay healthy, including sneezing into arms rather than hands, using hand sanitizing gel and becoming familiar with the signs and symptoms of the flu: cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, chills, fatigue and most of all, fever.

“The presence of a fever for at least 24 hours is an important factor in determining whether someone has the flu,” Denys said. “This time of year, everyone’s got a little cough or has some fatigue, but those coupled with fever is what’s very important to look out for.”

In addition to promoting the ways students and staff can keep themselves healthy, Denys has been involved in frequent calls with the Philadelphia Department of Health to monitor flu conditions, order vaccinations and make decisions about the best steps to take should anyone become sick.

“We’re expecting to receive vaccinations for the seasonal flu within the next two weeks, and we will announce when and where they’ll be available for students and employees,” he said. To prepare for H1N1, Denys recently submitted the total numbers of students and staff, and those who would be most at-risk, to the Philadelphia Department of Public Health.

“That department ultimately decides how many doses of the H1N1 vaccine we will receive, so those numbers will paint a better picture of the overall health of our campus,” he said, adding that while it’s unclear when exactly these vaccines will become available, working so closely with the city’s health department will ensure Temple receives what it needs as soon as possible.

Since H1N1 broke last spring, Denys’ office did not have any reports of related student illness, and only one report of a Temple employee with the virus, who recovered fully.

As the flu season progresses, Denys says the number of cases will determine future actions, such as setting up quarantined waiting rooms or a hotline for more information. In the meantime, he encourages all students and employees to receive the seasonal vaccine once it becomes available, and to stay home from school or work if they have flu-like symptoms.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the symptoms of the seasonal flu and H1N1 are virtually identical, so those who are infected won’t know which type they have just by their symptoms alone. To that end, health officials are treating anyone with flu-like symptoms as though they have H1N1.

On Sept. 28, Denys’ office will be part of the Emergency Preparedness Fair, held by the Office of Campus Safety and the Office of Emergency Preparedness, in order to provide information on ways students and employees can stay healthy and will promote dates and locations for vaccinations based on when shipments can be expected.

For updates on Temple’s efforts on both H1N1 and seasonal flu, visit the Office of Student Health website or follow updates on Twitter.