If you are noticing a lot of people coughing and sneezing, it might be good advice to avoid them – if you do not want the flu.

Lehigh Regional Medical Center officials said the number of people visiting the emergency room has increased since December.

“We have more and more people coming to the ER at Lehigh Regional with the flu-like symptoms,” Dian Cimrig, a spokeswoman for the hospital, said.

She said flu season is in full swing and flu is one of the nation’s leading causes of death, with roughly 24,000 a year dying from it and its complications.

But you can still get a fly shot.

Emergency rooms and urgent care centers in Southwest Florida are reporting an increase in the numbers of people coming in with flu-like symptoms.

Cimrig said LRMC has seen a growing number of flu-symptomatic patients for two months and numerous patients have been admitted for treatment.

“While health officials fear this will be an unusually bad year for flu, it’s too soon to say,” Cimrig said. “The timing of the flu is unpredictable and can vary in different parts of the country and from season to season. Flu activity most commonly peaks in the U.S. between December and February, but can continue as late as May.”

But there is good news.

“The good news is that it is not too late to get the flu shot,” she said. “Even if the flu season peaks soon, it will still be around for months.

“Vaccination is the simplest step you can take to protect yourself,” Dr. Bravo, a pulmonary and sleep disorder physician, said. “More often than not, the patients I see who have the flu did not take this action to protect themselves or their family.”

Cimrig noted that the latest figures released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show the flu hitting hard in all but seven states. Florida is one of the states hit hard by the flu.

Health officials said there are things that you can do to be safe.

– Vaccinate. Get the flu shot for everyone in your family. It is available at doctors’ offices and urgent care centers, with many offering same-day appointments. It is recommended for everyone older than 6 months, except people with severe egg allergies. Shot and nasal spray vaccine forms are safe, effective and rarely have side effects.

– Get treatment. If you get the flu, your doctor or an urgent care center can prescribe antiviral medication. Children, the elderly, pregnant women and people with chronic illnesses are particularly vulnerable; treat high-risk individuals promptly to avoid hospitalization. Treatment with antiviral medication works best when begun within 48 hours of getting sick. The drugs can also lessen serious complications.

– Prevention. Stay away from sick people and wash your hands frequently. Cover your mouth and nose when you sneeze, and resist touching your eyes, mouthy and nose. Avoid close contact with people who have the flu or symptoms. If you are sick, stay home from work or school to prevent spreading it.

Though the flu vaccination is not a perfect tool, it is the best way to protect against infection.

“Caregivers at our clinics and Lehigh Regional take the safety of our patients seriously, and we’ve had a high participation rate with voluntary vaccinations efforts among our employees, clinicians and physicians,” Bravo said.

For more information on the flu, visit: www.lehighregional.com. To find a doctor, click “Find a Doctor.”