This year’s flu is off to a slow start.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention keeps a weekly influenza report, called FluView, which as of Friday, characterizes flu activity as being low across the country. The state of Louisiana, which is seeing a high level of the illness, is the only exception to that overall trend.

In Pennsylvania, the department of health categorizes flu activity as local, meaning influenzalike illnesses have been confirmed in one of the state’s regions.

But just because it’s slow-moving now doesn’t mean you should take the flu lightly. More than 250 people died in Pennsylvania from the flu last year, Rachel Levine, the state’s secretary of health, said in a news release. She added that there were over 120,000 cases statewide.

“The flu is serious and can be deadly, which is why it is so important for everyone to take the proper precautions to protect themselves, their loved ones and anyone they meet,” Levine said.

A particularly bad flu season on the opposite side of the world is also raising experts’ concerns regarding this year’s influenza; the southern hemisphere’s flu season often acts as an indicator for the U.S. one.

In Australia, the H3N2 strain — which is typically responsible for more severe symptoms — was predominant, pointing to its possible prevalence here. The strain puts seniors and young children especially at risk, according to the CDC.

Among the flu’s nasty symptoms are fever, chills, cough, sore throat, runny nose, body aches, headaches, fatigue and sometimes vomiting or diarrhea. The best way to protect against the contagious illness is getting vaccinated, which Levine said can also lessen the severity of symptoms.

Local health officials agree.

“I think there’s a lot of misconceptions and fears that we’re injecting people with things that they wouldn’t otherwise get,” Dr. Madalyn Schaefgen, an Allentown-based family physician in the Lehigh Valley Health Network, said.

“You’re exposed each day probably to 10,000 viruses and bacteria that are alive and can hurt you,” she added. “So, to poke your body with this four strains of dead virus is not going to hurt you. … It enhances the immune system. It encourages it to rise up and form these antibodies against this virus that it sees so that, if in the future, it sees the virus again as a live virus, it’s already ready.”

Schaefgen said the vaccine takes about two weeks to take effect and trigger the production of antibodies, so residents shouldn’t wait to get their shot.

“Now is the time,” she said. “It doesn’t work after you’ve been exposed to the virus already, so you want to have it in your system.”

To get your flu shot, you can make an appointment with your family doctor, or stop by a local drugstore or supermarket. Many accept walk-ins, and the process can take just a few minutes.

This year, the CDC announced, all vaccines will be quadrivalent, meaning it will guard against four different flu strains.

Michael Silvonek, a pharmacist at First National Pharmacy in Lehighton, said there’s been “plenty” of people coming in to get their shots, even though the season hasn’t kicked off yet. The pharmacy accepts walk-ins and is willing to provide anyone over 9 years old with a vaccination.

“We recommend that everyone should be vaccinated,” Silvonek said, “to protect themselves from the flu.”