The flu season is off to a slow to start this year, but typically lasts through March. According to St. Francis Hospital Community Outreach Facilitator Vicky Fuller, reports in December showed low flu activity in the area this season. Fuller says that could be due to the milder weather or a better flu vaccine.

There's multiple strains of influenza out there, twenty plus probably at least, and every year, the government, they track, through the Centers for Disease Control and risk stratify and determine which ones are most likely to be prevalent. For the most part they're usually pretty good about targeting that and that's what they decide to put in the flu vaccine, but last year kind of missed the mark. This year, it seems like either there's better compliance or there's not as much flu, but we really have not seen much in the area.

Fuller says the flu shot works against the upper respiratory influenza and there are additional ways to help keep yourself healthy during the flu season.

So when we're talking about influenza we are talking about the upper respiratory influenza. Usually people will have a high fever, a bad headache, they'll cough, the congestion, body aches all over, kind of feel like they got ran over by a truck. That's what the flu shot works against - not the nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, but the upper respiratory influenza. Ways to prevent that: wash your hands, that's a big thing, always wash your hands. If you are sick, please stay home, don't share it with other people and cover your cough (and sneezes) so that you're not sharing it with other people and then the usual key things are plenty of rest, stay healthy, eat healthy, plenty of fluids to decrease your risk of getting sick with the virus.

Fuller says people can still get the flu shot and to check with their family doctor, local pharmacy or county health department for more information.Thomack 1/5/16