Taking care of your health is one of the most important things you can do for yourself. Baylor College of Medicine experts have plenty of tips to help you stay healthy. This month’s Health Hint focuses on influenza, and the importance of getting the flu vaccine.

Last year, we had a mild year by flu standards, and I predict that this would not occur this year. We predict that H3N2 will be one of the dominant viruses circulating this year, and if that is correct, we should expect to have a more moderate to severe flu season. We truly believe that universal immunization is the best way to protect everybody against flu. Although you have risk groups who are more likely to get severe disease, you have other groups like school-aged children who are more likely to get infected and spread it to others in the community. The more people who are protected against what’s circulating, the less likely that an influenza season will be able to take hold or cause complications.”

Dr. Pedro Piedra, professor of molecular virology and microbiology and of pediatrics

Read more about flu on www.bcm.edu/flu-central.