ALBANY (TNS) — Flu season is upon us, but infectious disease experts say it’s not too late to get vaccinated ahead of the winter holidays.

State Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said this week that influenza is now “prevalent” across New York, with hospitals reporting sharp spikes in cases and hospitalizations of people with severe respiratory symptoms. Lab-confirmed flu cases are doubling week-over-week as peak season approaches, state data show.

Yet vaccination levels remain low as vaccine skepticism is on the rise. Across New York, just 21% of adults and 20% of children have gotten this year’s flu shot.

Flu vaccines typically take a few weeks to reach full protection, meaning there is still plenty of time to vaccinate before the holidays, said Dr. Danielle Wales, primary care physician with Albany Med Internal Medicine and Pediatrics.

“Flu can affect anyone and it can be particularly nasty, even for young kids,” Wales said.

But recent vaccine messaging from the federal government could complicate this year’s battle against the virus. Studies show fewer U.S. adults believe immunizations are important than several decades ago, skepticism that has been boosted by U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Last month, Kennedy pushed the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to promote a link between autism and vaccines, a claim that has been repeatedly disproved by scientists.

For most people, flu symptoms like chills, sore throat and fatigue are “an inconvenience but not super dangerous,” said Dr. Arthur Gran, an infectious disease specialist at Troy’s Samaritan Hospital. But for people with underlying chronic diseases, the flu can be life-threatening. In the most severe cases, patients end up on life support with respiratory failure, Gran said.

Gran, who specializes in treating people with chronic disease, has not yet seen many patients with serious complications. But with peak viral season weeks away, doctors “still don’t know how flu season is going to go,” he said.

The severity will depend on several factors, including the effectiveness of this year’s vaccine and how many holdouts can be convinced to get the jab in the coming weeks. The World Health Organization designs each year’s vaccine based on strains circulating in Australia and other parts of the Southern Hemisphere. It is still unclear whether scientists correctly predicted the dominant influenza strain that is currently circulating in the U.S.

Whether or not this year’s vaccine is a good match, doctors said it will undoubtedly offer protection against hospitalization and death, especially for vulnerable older adults. Some patients may be good candidates for antiviral medications that reduce the length and severity of the illness.

Gran encourages his patients to use “good hygiene and common sense” when confronting flu season. His recommendations include getting vaccinated, practicing frequent hand washing and staying home if you feel sick.

“This prevents transmissibility and being contagious to family members who might be less healthy than you,” he said.

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