When it comes to swine flu, most schools are adopting an attitude of “Hope for the best, but expect the worst.” Here’s what they’re doing to prepare.

The H1N1 vaccine will become available in mid-October, and college-age students now can be among the first to get it, thanks to a recent decision by the Centers for Disease Control to raise the cutoff age from 18 to 24.

But will the vaccine be enough to contain outbreaks of the flu? Of course, there’s no guarantee.

And if students do come down with swine flu, here are some steps schools are taking:

• At Harvard, administrators already are looking for places to keep sick students away from the rest of the population. They’re more than doubling the number of infirmary beds and finding additional beds in the nearby area. Also, the school is getting plenty of Purell dispensers.
• At the University of Virginia, extra beds aren’t an option – there’s no room. So students will head back to their residence halls after being given masks and told to wash their hands frequently and thoroughly.
• Skidmore College will devote one of its dorms to keeping sick students isolated.

Is your school taking any steps to prepare for an outbreak of swine flu? Let us know in the comments section below.

Tags: Centers for Disease Control, Harvard University, Skidmore College, swine flu, University of Virginia