Flu season is here once again, and the influenza virus is ready to sink its energy-sapping teeth into your productivity unless you take precautions. Fast.

Student Health currently offers influenza vaccines for $10 to students and $20 to faculty and staff. The vaccine protects against three types of influenza virus: the influenza A H3N2 virus, an influenza B virus and the H1N1 virus that caused trouble in 2009. Vaccine will be widely available during this year’s flu season.

Symptoms include fever, cough, sore throat, headache, muscle aches, fatigue, runny or stuffy nose, chills and possibly diarrhea and vomiting. Influenza is highly contagious and spreads through the air. Flu season usually lasts from late fall to early spring, according to Student Health’s Flu Information Center website.

Student Health advises that everyone over 6 months old get the flu shot. Children 6 months or younger are at higher risk of serious infection and cannot be immunized. It is important for individuals who come in contact with young children to get immunized because it will reduce exposure for children who are too young for immunization.

Everyday actions like washing your hands, covering your nose and mouth after a cough, avoiding touching your eyes, nose and mouth and avoiding sick people can also help prevent the spread of influenza and keep students from getting sick. It is also important for sick students to stay home from classes to prevent spreading the disease, according to student health.

For more information, visit http://www.santarosa.edu/for_students/student-services/student-health-services/flu-information-center or for flu shot locations visit http://www.flu.gov/individualfamily/vaccination/locator.html.