As students rejoiced in the end of classes and finals last semester, the staff of University Health Services breathed a sigh of relief for a semester that ended with low swine flu activity, though UHS officials are wary of a resurgence as students return from break.

At a press conference Jan. 13, Mayor Dave Cieslewicz received his H1N1 vaccination, calling it easy and painless, while also encouraging. Cieslewicz said the vaccination was easy and painless, and he encouraged all Madison citizens to get vaccinated.

Director of the Madison-Dane County Public Health Department Thomas Schlenker, also at the press conference, echoed this encouragement.

“We worry because people are taking an unnecessary risk if they’re not getting vaccinated,” Schlenker said. “You don’t need to take that risk for yourself.”

Schlenker said it was especially important for ethnic minority communities to get vaccinated. According to Schlenker, state hospitalization rates were two to three times higher among minority populations than among Caucasians.

He added in Dane County, African- Americans were hospitalized 9nine times more than Caucasians.

According to Schlenker, more than 1,000 people have been hospitalized for H1N1 in Wisconsin since August., with more than 100 of those cases occurring in Dane County.

He added 5five people have died from H1N1 in Dane County since August.

Reported cases of H1N1 at the end of the semester were minimal. According to UHS Director Sarah Van Orman, UHS evaluated eight possible cases of H1N1 between Dec. 13 and Dec. 19, 2009,.

“Activity really dropped quite dramatically towards the end of the semester,” Van Orman said.

Craig Roberts, epidemiologist for UHS, said the large vaccination clinic at the SERF was helpful in keeping the number of cases low.

“Every person who gets immunized is someone who will not contract influenza and pass it on to others,” Roberts said.

Van Orman added it is not just the University of Wisconsin campus that is seeing a decline in the number of cases, as H1N1 numbers are dramatically lower both statewide and nationally.

Nonetheless, UHS staff anticipates a possible tough spring semester. According to a statement from the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, there were three H1N1 related deaths in the first week of January. The statement adds another wave of sickness is not out of the question.

Van Orman said there was a large surge of H1N1 at the beginning of fall semester followed by a smaller but still notable one in November. She added with students coming back from all over the world, there could be another surge of the illness.

“It’s pretty difficult to predict,” Roberts said. “We’re certainly concerned.”

He added UHS is ready for another potential outbreak.

Both Van Orman and Roberts said the number one thing they would advise students to do is get vaccinated, the sooner the better.

At the beginning of last semester UHS did not have enough vaccinations to serve the entire student body. However, Van Orman said this semester UW has enough vaccinations for every student.

Roberts added UHS plans to hold another two vaccination clinics at the SERF Jan. 22 and Jan. 29.