The California Department of Public Health says flu season started early in other parts of the country, but here the flu picture is looking pretty typical.

But as Dr. James Watt of the Department suggests, the dominant strain this year is even more reason to take steps to protect your health.

WATT: "Historically, if you look back over many years, seasons where there is a predominance of the H3N2 strain tend to be somewhat more severe, but that has a lot of year to year variability as well."   

Watt says the good news is the vaccine is very well matched to the influenza viruses this year.

He says about 2/3 of the people who get immunized are protected from the flu.