Amy Pisani: We are in the midst of flu season again and we are all looking for ways to avoid illness and keep our families healthy. The single best way to be protected against the flu is to be vaccinated each year. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention along with all the major medial associations now recommend that everyone six months of age and older get vaccinated against the flu. Since the flu vaccine is not approved for use in infants younger than six months old, the best way to protect these children is to make certain that all of their household contacts and caregivers are vaccinated. Certain people are at higher risk of severe complications from the flu including children under 5, pregnant women, adults over 65, and people with chronic medical conditions, such as asthma, heart disease and diabetes. Dr. Paul Offit: Influenza virus, for example, causes adolescents and young adults to be hospitalized and to die. I mean it's not common, but it happens and because we have a vaccine that can safely prevent that, we should use it. Amy Pisani: For those who haven't been vaccinated yet this year, it's not too late. Families can still get the vaccine in December, January, February, and beyond since the peak of flu season often occurs after the holidays. For those of you who say I never get the flu or I have had the flu before and it wasn't too bad, you should know that even young and healthy people can get very sick from the flu. This was particularly evident when more than 12,000 people died from the 2009 H1N1 flu related complications. Also, keep in mind that healthy people can spread the flu to those individuals with weaker immune systems; pregnant women and infants who are at greater risk. That's why we urge you to protect your family and your fellow community members by getting vaccinated every single year.