With flu season just a few months away, University of Wisconsin health officials are already preparing to combat the disease.

Craig Roberts, an epidemiologist at University Health Services said there is no way to predict how severe this year’s influenza season will be.

Typically Roberts said he looks at influenza during the summer in the Southern Hemisphere to see what the predominant strain of flu here will be, but even that is uncertain.

As of Wednesday, zero cases of confirmed influenza exist on campus. Roberts said UHS conducts surveillance cultures every week, testing students with any type of influenza-like illness to see if they actually have the flu.

Deviating from previous years, UHS will start vaccinating students, faculty and staff Friday with a walk-in clinic held at the Southeast Recreational Facility, UHS Executive Director Sarah Van Orman said.

The clinic will go from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Usually UHS starts vaccinating later in October, Roberts said, but they hope by administering the vaccine earlier more people will be protected.

Van Orman added UHS has not received the vaccine this early before, which is another reason for the September start.

With students getting busier as the semester progresses, Van Orman said she sees the start of the clinics as an opportunity for students to protect themselves.

As a result of administering the vaccine sooner, more than 12 clinics are being held for students this semester, Van Orman said.

Halloween candy will be given to students who attend the clinics as an incentive for students to get vaccinated, because “no one likes to come to get immunizations,” Van Orman said.

The clinics will be held at a wider variety of campus buildings, she added, with new sites such as Eagle Heights added to the slate.

Students can also receive the vaccine by walking into UHS any day in October from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., she said.

According to Roberts, every flu shot protects against three major types of influenza, with H1N1 now being considered “seasonal influenza.”

“The H1N1 in the vaccine is identical to the one in the vaccine last year,” Roberts said. “H1N1 is now being referred to as seasonal influenza.”

A vaccine shortage is also not expected this year, Van Orman said, although she is not sure what the season will bring.

She added UHS administered more than 10,000 doses of the vaccine last year.

“At this point we have enough,” she said.