Northern Iowa is in the midst of a flu season that borders on being rated as bad or severe by public health officials.

The good news, according to local health care professionals, is that it is not too late to get a flu shot. A flu shot provides “significant protection,” according to Dr. Kelli Wallace, chief medical officer for UnityPoint Health — Trinity Regional Medical Center.

She said a flu shot can provide complete prevention for some people and reduce the severity of the illness for many others.

“I think often it will prevent a hospitalization and prevent you from getting really ill,” she said.

Many times when people get sick, especially with some kind of stomach trouble, they will say that they have the flu. But they may not actually have influenza, as the flu is properly known.

Wallace said true influenza is an infection of the respiratory system caused by a virus. Its symptoms include headaches, fever, chills, sore throat and coughing.

“Classic influenza comes on very suddenly,” she said.

Flu season lasts from December to February and can linger on into March.

Wallace said influenza tends to hit when people are gathering for the holidays, which adds to the spread of the disease.

She described this year’s flu season as “moderately bad.”

“Our numbers have been pretty high,” she said.

To prevent the flu, she recommends washing hands frequently and avoiding rubbing the face or eyes. But most importantly, she recommends getting a flu shot.

Every year, scientists tweak the formula for the shots to try to counteract the strains of flu that are expected . Wallace said they look at the influenza strains reported in the southern hemisphere, where flu season hits first, and pick three of the most common strains circulating there to be put into the flu shots administered in the United States.

Iowa residents can get flu shots from pharmacists as well as at their doctor’s office.

John Daniel II, owner of Daniel Pharmacy in Fort Dodge, said he sees a “surge of people coming in for flu shots” whenever the weather gets cold.

“I would say if they haven’t had their flu shot, they should come in,” he said.

“It may not be a perfect match, but it will catch most of the viruses and should make it less severe,” he added.

He said when people come into his pharmacy for a flu shot, the staff checks their vaccination records through the Iowa Immunization Registry and offers them the opportunity to get any other vaccinations they need.

If a person does get the flu, the treatment for most cases consists of pain relievers like ibuprofen, rest and fluids. Wallace said for bad cases, an antiviral medicine may be prescribed.

She said if someone with the flu has difficulty breathing, or can’t eat and drink, they need to go to a doctor.

She said someone suffering from the flu will be pretty sick for three to five days. She said it will take seven to 10 days to totally recover.

“Stay home if you’re sick and wash your hands,” she said.