One look out the window and it is clear that Lawrence County is in the middle of winter.

But what is not so obvious is that it is also the height of flu season.

Influenza is a respiratory infection caused by viruses. Symptoms include head-aches, cough, runny nose, sore throat, muscle aches, fatigue and high fever.

Traditionally, flu season begins in November and continues through March. During the past 19 seasons, the heaviest flu activity occurred in January and February, according to the Center for Disease Control.

Overall, area schools and medical agencies reported that this season has not been too bad.

"There have been more viruses than flu this year," said Audrey Dotson, director of nursing at the Ironton City Health Department. "That is good because if you get more people immunized then you will only have a few cases."

According to the CDC, 114,000 people in the U.S. are hospitalized and about 20,000 people die each year because of the flu. Small children less than 2 years old and those older than 65 are most at risk. Most people recover in a week or two.

"Anyone with a fever should be kept at home," Dotson said. "The key is prevention and that is good old-fashioned hand washing and using a Kleenex when you cough and sneeze."

Dotson said the health department has given more than 1,700 vaccinations and has a few hundred more they will continue to administer until the end of January

Although the best time to get it is the end of November, it is not to late to get the shot, she said.

Dotson said that when someone contracts the flu the symptom that stands out the most is that it comes on so suddenly.

"You are fine one minute and then the next you are ill," she said.

"I always say it is kind of like getting hit with a Mack truck."

Annette Massie, principal of Whitwell Elementary School and West Ironton Kindergarten, said she encourages parents to keep their children at home if they suspect they are coming down with the flu, and they have seen an increase in absences.

"We have quite a few out (Tuesday)," she said of the more than 20 absent students that may be due to the flu season. "Usually, it tends to hit us a class at a time."

Massie said, so far, the school has not been hit nearly as hard as three or four years ago.

"In the past, we have had it so bad that attendance was extremely low, she said. "Teachers were out and we could not get enough substitutes. We had to close the school."

Other school districts agree that so far this year has not been nearly as bad.

Marsha Wagner, school nurse for the Rock Hill School District, said this season has been a welcome change.

"Other than just a few isolated cases before Christmas break, things have been good," she said. "We have not had very many cases at all."

Despite a common misconception, flu vaccines cannot give you the flu and work in most people. However, if someone get a flu shot but still contract the flu, studies show patients are less sick than they would have been without the protection.

Dr. Sue Adams, medical director for the CAO's Family Medical Center, said that the increased use of vaccines has been a real advantage, but the county is not out of the woods yet.

"With the vaccine, I think we have seen a dramatic decrease," she said. "I personally have not seen a large number of cases.

"Two years ago was bad, but we have not seen anything near that. It always could peak late, but so far the season has been minimal."