UC Davis students are showing off 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, Calif., 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."

About 4,520 new freshmen and transfer students moved into residence halls last weekend. With classes set to begin Thursday, an estimated 31,575 students are expected to enroll for the fall quarter.

Student Health Services at UC Davis is offering seasonal flu vaccinations by appointment and at the special clinics as part of broader UC Davis 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.

Two other vaccination clinics will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m. today (Sept. 22) and Wednesday, Sept. 23. Other student clinics are scheduled for Oct. 7, 8 and 9.

In addition to the seasonal flu vaccine, public health officials also advise all students to get the H1N1 vaccine as soon as it becomes available. Dr. 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 http://www.ucdavis.edu/emergency/h1n1/.

About 4,600 new freshmen are expected to enroll this fall. This is decrease of nearly 7.5 percent from last fall. The total number of new and returning undergraduates expected for the fall quarter is 24,420, an increase of 211 from last fall. Graduate and professional students are expected to total around 7,155, a decrease of 62 from last year.

The overall total of 31,575 students is an increase of 149 students, or less than 0.5 percent, from last fall. The number of students is expected to average 30,395 over the three academic quarters.

Enrollment estimates are based on an April 21 projection by the Office of Resource Management and Planning.