February has seen a rise in flu cases across the state with over 200 schools reporting a 10% absentee rate and the influenza death toll in Iowa is now at 25 deaths since October 2016.

Nurse Judi Van Hulzen with Marion County Public Health tells KNIA/KRLS News even if residents have already been sick once this year due to the flu it’s never too late to get a flu shot, because the shot will still help prevent against other strains of the flu. This year’s most predominant flu strain has been Influenza A or H3N2 with the flu vaccination seeing a 48% effectiveness rate against the strain according to the CDC.