Flu season is here: How effective is this year's shot?

SEATTLE -- It’s the season of giving, but the flu is the one thing no one wants to get. Health officials in King and Pierce counties report an increase in flu cases this month.

With the flu season under way, doctors are once again recommending vaccinations.

“I think the flu shot is never going to cover every single strain but it covers a lot, so you’re better off with it than without it,” said mother Joanna Gauthier

Gauthier and her 6-year-old son were vaccinated, but her husband didn't get a flu shot.

"I rarely get sick,” said Christian Gauthier.

Despite concerns about the effectiveness of this year’s flu shot, King County health officials say it is the best way to prevent the flu.

"I think the CDC folks are trying to say, you know, the vaccine may not be as effective as we would like it to be this year, but it may it may be as effective as it typically is. There's just no way of knowing at this point," said Dr.  Jeffrey Duchin with Public Health Seattle & King County.

Duchin said flu cases will peak over the next six weeks. Health experts say vaccinations protect people at high risk, including children, people over 65, and pregnant women. People are also encouraged to wash their hands frequently, cover their coughs, and stay home when sick.

“Probably as soon as I get really sick, then I’ll wish I’d gotten it,” Christian Gauthier said of the vaccine.