The annual flu shot campaign begins today.
And most doctors are saying it's a good idea to get it because it may be a particularly bad season this year.
"It looks like the flu season is going to be potentially early, nasty and possibly even long," said Dr. Brian Ward, MUHC professor in infectious diseases and microbiology.
"The southern hemisphere had its worst flu season in decades."
Those viruses could migrate up here, including the predominant H3N2 strain that usually affects older patients.
"If the H3N2 virus comes north, we will have to be ready for busier emergency rooms and hospitalizations and to offer people anti-viral therapy rapidly in the event they become very sick with influenza," said Ward in an interview with CJAD 800 News.
And Ward said though this year's vaccine is not 100% effective against H3N2,
"The influenza vaccines have never been what I would call highly effective. Even in a bad flu year, I would call them better than nothing," said Ward.
The flu shot is recommended for seniors aged 60 and over, children aged 6 to 23 months, pregnant women and those who suffer from a chronic illness.