The flu is trying to ruin your holiday, don’t let it

As travelers wedge themselves into planes, trains and automobiles for holiday trips, there's a good chance they'll be joined by an unwanted passenger: a new flu strain that seems intent on derailing the season.

- Lisa Jarvis, Tribune News Service

With flu cases in the US starting to take off, there are still some steps people can take to avoid - or at least lower the risk of - a miserable holiday. Chief among them: Get a flu shot. No, the vaccine isn’t a perfect match this year, but it can still help prevent severe illness and lessen the virus' impact.

The most recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show that flu hospitalizations are climbing across all age groups in the US Several states, including Colorado, New York, New Jersey and Louisiana, are being hit particularly hard. Some schools around the country have been forced to close as the virus sweeps through the student population. This week, Colorado reported an elementary-school-aged child from the Denver area had died from the flu, a stark reminder of the grave consequences of this common virus.