Don't let the flu catch YOU by surprise this season. Be prepared; get vaccinated today.

After a busy holiday season, you might be reluctant to add one more thing to your to-do list. But it's worth it.

"Getting the flu vaccine is simple, and it's the most important thing you can do to protect yourself and your family from the flu," says Dr. Anne Schuchat, Assistant Surgeon General of the U.S. Public Health Service and Director of CDC's National Center for Immunization and Respiratory Diseases.

There is still time to get a flu vaccine to protect yourself and your family. Flu season typically peaks in January or February and can last as late as April or May.

Get a Flu Vaccine Every Flu Season

The best way to protect against influenza is to get a flu vaccine every flu season. Influenza (flu) is a contagiousrespiratory disease that can lead to serious complications, hospitalization, or even death. Anyone can get the flu, andgetting a flu vaccine is the single best way to protect yourself and your family. Even healthy people can get very sick from the flu and spread it to friends and loved ones. Everyone 6 months of age and older is recommended to get vaccinated against the flu every year.

While flu activity usually peaks in January or February, the flu itself is unpredictable. And although there are many different flu viruses, the yearly flu vaccine protects against the three viruses that research suggests will be most common that flu season.

So what are your options? If you are afraid of getting the flu shot, consider FluMist®. It's a nasal spray vaccine and is safe and effective for healthy people, 2 years of age and older.

Important reminder for parents and caregivers: Many children need 2 doses of flu vaccine this season to be fully protected. If a child has not received his/her first dose, get them vaccinated now. For those who have been vaccinated with one dose, parents should check with the child's doctor to see if a second dose is needed.

Who Is at Risk?

Everyone is at risk for influenza. For millions of people each year, the flu can bring a fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle aches, fatigue, and miserable days spent in bed. However, you may not realize that flu also leads to more than 200,000 people being hospitalized from flu complications each year. The flu can also be deadly. Between 1976 and 2007, CDC estimates that annual flu-associated deaths in the United States have ranged from a low of about 3,000 people to a high of about 49,000 people.

Anyone can get the flu, but some people are at greater risk for serious flu-related complications, like pneumonia, that can lead to hospitalization and even death. For those at greater risk for complications, getting the flu vaccine is especially important. People at greater risk include

It's also important to get the vaccine if you care for anyone in one or more of these high risk groups, or if you care for babies younger than 6 months because these babies are too young to get the vaccine.

Get Vaccinated – It's Not Too Late

You and your family can still benefit from a flu vaccine. Make a commitment to your health and to your family's health by getting your flu vaccine today. Flu vaccines are offered in many doctors' offices and clinics. Even if you don't have a regular health care provider, you can get a flu vaccine at other places, like your local health department, pharmacies, urgent care clinics, your child's school or your workplace. Use the Flu Vaccine Finder to find the nearest location with available flu vaccine.

So don't let the flu catch YOU by surprise this season; be prepared and make your appointment to get vaccinated today–it's not too late!

For more information about the seriousness of influenza and the benefits of the influenza vaccine, talk to your family's doctor or visit www.flu.gov.