Peak flu season in the United States is officially here.

The influenza virus is present year-round, but during the fall and winter, a combination of factors, including changing temperatures and more time spent indoors, leads to a rising number of people infected.

During the last week of September, North Carolina ranked No. 1 in the U.S. for state flu activity, according to the N.C. Department of Health and Human Services. That same week, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention launched its annual vaccine campaign for the 2017-18 season.

“Annual vaccination before November is your best protection against the flu,” Stacey R. Gouzenne, MD, national chief medical officer for FastMed Urgent Care, stated in a press release.

Patients are encouraged to get vaccinated every year because new variations of the flu virus develop every year, according to the state DHHS. What prevents an infection one year may not be effective against a mutated strain the next year.

“(Flu) can cause mild to severe illness, and at times can lead to death,” the NCDHHS website states. “Some people — such as older people, young children and people with certain health conditions — are at high risk for serious flu complications.”

The 2016-17 flu season, which ended in the spring, saw a large number of cases in this area of flu patients checking into the emergency department, according to Jim Madson, director of the Beaufort County Health Department. At one point, for every 100 people who visited the emergency department, roughly 10 of them were for flu-related symptoms.

Vidant Beaufort Hospital also temporarily restricted hospital visitors earlier this year during the peak of flu season in Beaufort County.

The following are tips on how to avoid contracting and/or giving the flu to others this season:

• Get vaccinated each year;
• Wash hands frequently with soap and water, or use hand sanitizer if soap and water are not available;
• Stay home when sick;
• Cough or sneeze into tissues and discard them properly.

Those interested in receiving a flu vaccination can do so by contacting Beaufort County Health Department at 252-946-1902, or by contacting a primary care provider.