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(HealthDay) -With flu season imminent, U.S. health officials urge everyone 6 months and older to get a flu shot.
Already, one unvaccinated child in Florida has died from flu, the officials warned.
Not many cases have been reported so far, so said Lynnette Brammer, of the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
"The states that have been reported to have minimal influenza activity," said Brammer, head of the CDC's domestic influenza surveillance. "We have H1N1 and H3N2 influenza A strains, and two influenza B strains have been detected."
Flu seasons are not predictable, which is why you should not have a new flu shot, Dr. Lisa Maragakis added another infectious-disease expert.
The Hemisphere, which is just one of many, is providing guidance, explains Maragakis, senior director of infection prevention at the Johns Hopkins Health System in Baltimore.
"It's cautiously good news that it might be so," said Maragakis.
Still, even when activity is low, people still get influenza, Brammer said. "And influenza can have really tragic consequences." Even people who are healthy and young can get influenza and it can, in rare cases, lead to death, "she added.
Last year, 80,000 people in the United States died from flu-a high record, Brammer said. The deaths included 183 children, most of whom were unvaccinated.
Because last year's vaccine was not a good match to the predominant H3N2 virus, the vaccine has been tweaked, Brammer said.
This year's four-strain vaccine includes H1N1 and H3N2 plus two influenza B strains. The three-strain vaccine has just one strain, Brammer said.
Who is most at risk?
It's critical that mothers under 6 months get vaccinated, because their babies can not, Brammer said.
Others at highest risk for flu complications, especially pneumonia, are young children, older people and those with chronic medical conditions, she said.
Getting vaccinated protects others. It's the best way to your self, and your loved ones and coworkers, Brammer said.
But myths still persist.
A recent survey by Orlando Health Arnold Palmer Hospital for Children in Florida found that a third of parents with children under 18 will not work. And more than half believe you can get flu vaccine.
Both beliefs are wrong, Brammer said. Vaccination is the best protection regardless of age.
You can not get flu shot because of the viruses in the vaccine are dead, she said. They trigger your immune system to make antibodies against flu, but can not give you influenza.
Although the nasal spray vaccine uses a live virus, it has been altered so you can not get flu from it, Brammer said. However, this vaccine is not for everyone, and you should check with your doctor first.
October is the best time to get vaccinated, because it takes 10 days to two weeks for the vaccine to become fully effective. You will be protected by the time, Maragakis said.
What else can you do to boost protection?
Wash your hands often, cover your coughs and sneezes, and avoid getting close to someone who is ill, Maragakis said.
If the flu does strike, your doctor can prescribe antiviral drugs that you will sick, she said. These medicines work best when taken when symptoms start.
In addition, stay out of work, so you do not infect others, Brammer said.
Explore further:
Tough flu season ahead: vaccine may only be 10% effective
More information:
Lynnette Brammer, M.P.H., Lead, Domestic Influenza Surveillance Team, U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention; Lisa Maragakis, M.D., M.P.H., senior director, infection prevention, Johns Hopkins Health System and associate professor, medicine, Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, Baltimore
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