Its not too late to get a flu shot, and the latest news about the disease suggests its a good idea.

For the last week of 2013, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported influenza as widespread in 25 states including Oregon, Idaho and Washington. An Oregon Public Health Division doctor, in an interview with The Oregonian, called this one of the worst seasons in the past three or four years.

Officials cite several reasons for concern. One is that the season is kicking in earlier than usual. Another is the type of flu virus H1N1 – thats the dominant strain this season.

N1H1 is the bug famed for decades of illness, starting with the flu pandemic of 1918. After a hiatus in the late 1900s, it re-emerged with a vengeance. It caused a pandemic in 2010, killing 284,000 people worldwide, according to the CDC, and it seems to take a particular toll on younger people who werent around to develop an immunity in previous rounds.

No age group is safe from the flu, but officials say this season is particularly worrisome for children and young to middle-aged adults. And the latter is a group that tends to shrug off flu shots.

The good news is that this years flu vaccines are engineered to target the H1N1 virus and other prevalent strains. A vaccine isnt a guarantee that one wont get the flu, but it increases your odds. Plus, the concept of herd immunity suggests that a community with a high immunization rate will have a better chance of getting through the season without a raging epidemic. The flu is out there. Dont delay. SC

The to-do list

Here are the CDCs top three recommendations to protect yourself and others during flu season:

Get the flu vaccine Its recommended for everyone 6 months of age and older, and particularly for people at high risk of serious flu complications, health care workers, and people who live with or care for high-risk people.

Take preventive measures: avoid close contact with sick people, stay home if you are sick, cover your nose and mouth when coughing or sneezing, and wash your hands often with soap and water.

If you get sick with the flu, take flu antiviral drugs if your doctor prescribes them to shorten the duration of the symptoms and prevent serious complications.

More information: www.cdc.gov/flu/protect/preventing.htm