The very first case of influenza has been reported in Wisconsin, and very close to us. It was in Kenosha County and was found in a school-age child, according to the state Department of Health Services. It puts people in mind of the coming flu season and of the need to get vaccinated. It's still not too late.

How long do I have to get a flu shot?

Now is still a good time. The vaccine requires a couple of weeks before it's fully effective, said Stephanie Marquis, spokeswoman for the Department of Health Services.

"We tend to peak in early February," she said. "We've been relatively mild the last couple of years."

What's the outlook for the season?

"The only thing you can say definitively about influenza is we don't know," said Curtis Allen, a spokesman for the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. "Each year the season is different. Each year we don't know exactly what to predict."

How effective will this year's vaccine be?

So far it looks good, Allen said.

Because flu vaccines are produced in living cells and because that takes time, each year physicians and scientists base the next year's flu vaccine on the viruses circulating in early spring. This year the vaccine appears to be a good match with the virus in circulation, Allen said. "Of course at any time that can change."

"I guess the big message is we don't know what the flu season is going to look like. .. but we've got plenty of vaccine," Marquis said.

Manufacturers have increased their capacity, and the projection is that between 143 and 146 million doses will be available. Allen said that's a record.

For children there is also a nasal spray vaccine which seems to be as effective as an injection is for adults, Marquis said.

Who should be vaccinated?

Current guidelines recommend immunizations for:

* Healthy children from 6 months to 18 years of age.

* People age 50 or older.

* Women who are pregnant or will be during the flu season.

* Children and adolescents on long-term aspirin therapy.

* Anyone older than 6 months with a damaged immune system, with heart or lung problems, cancer, AIDS, kidney disease, cystic fibrosis, diabetes, anemia, and asthma.

* Health-care workers.

* Anyone who cares for people who are at greater risk from the complications of flu.

Where can I find out how widespread the flu is?

The CDC maintains a map, updated weekly, showing flu activity by state. You can find it at: http://cdc.gov/flu/weekly/usmap.htm

I've heard that Google started a flu map based on queries typed into its Internet search engine, and that the company says its map can spot flu activity a couple of weeks ahead of the CDC. How reliable is this?

Google says its map (at http://www.google.org/flutrends) correlates well with disease records. Both the CDC and the state are waiting to see how well it works.

Google's results are not tied to the reports of physicians who send in samples for laboratory verification of flu, Marquis said. "If it's another tool to keep people interested, that's great."

What about avian flu, also known as bird flu or the H5N1 virus?

Scientists are keeping a close eye on the virus, Allen said, "but the main thing is it hasn't spread human to human to human." And the government continues to prepare for a case in which the virus does develop the ability to spread rapidly from person to person.

Wisconsin continues to watch for any appearance of the virus, Marquis said, and, as it has done for several years, to test travelers who show flu-like symptoms after they return from abroad.

So what if I don't get vaccinated?

"It can knock you down for a week. It's not what people think about with the vomiting and diarrhea. It will feel like you've been hit by a truck," Marquis said.

There are two good reasons to get vaccinated, Allen said: to protect yourself and to protect others. If you don't get the flu, you can't spread it. "So the more people who are vaccinated, the fewer people who will develop influenza."

Each year, he said, about 35,000 people die from influenza. In 2007, according to the state, there were 2,310 deaths in which influenza or pneumonia was the immediate cause of death and 1,022 in which those were underlying causes. Children younger than 2 are as likely to be hospitalized as those 65 and older, Allen said.

Another flu weapon: Hygiene

Aside from washing your hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based sanitizer, the state Department of Health Services offers these tips for reducing the spread of influenza:

* Cover your cough or sneeze with your upper sleeve. If you use a tissue, throw it away after one use.

* Use your own drinking cups and straws.

* Avoid being exposed to people who are sick with flu-like symptoms.

* Eat nutritious meals, get plenty of rest, and do not smoke.

* Frequently clean commonly touched surfaces such as door knobs, refrigerator handles, telephones and faucets.

* If you think you have the flu, stay home, get rest, drink plenty of liquids and avoid using alcohol and tobacco. If your symptoms persist, contact your doctor.

Wash away the flu

One of the most important ways to halt the spread of influenza is to wash your hands, but cleaning off germs requires more than a quick rinse. To make sure your hands are clean, follow this method.

Using foam or gel sanitizing rubs

1. Apply to palm of one hand (the amount used depends on specific hand rub product).

2. Rub hands together, covering all surfaces, focusing in particular on the fingertips and fingernails, until dry. Use enough rub to require at least 15 seconds to dry.

Using soap and water

1. Wet hands with water.

2. Apply soap.

3. Rub hands together for at least 15 seconds, covering all surfaces, focusing on fingertips and fingernails.

4. Rinse under running water and dry with disposable towel.

5. Use the towel to turn off the faucet so you don't touch the faucet handle.