This year everyone is thinking and talking about the H1N1 (Swine Flu) pandemic, and rightly so. But, please don't forget, fall is still the time when seasonal flu strikes and people need to take steps to protect themselves and their families.

Also called influenza, seasonal flu is a contagious disease affecting your respiratory tract that is caused by the influenza viruses. According to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this type of flu can cause mild to severe symptoms and, at times, can lead to death. This year, the CDC reports it is preparing for an early flu season and "expects both 2009 H1N1 flu and seasonal flu to circulate, causing illness, hospital stays and death."

Get Vaccinated

The best way to protect yourself against seasonal flu is to get vaccinated every year. Please be aware that seasonal flue vaccines do not protect against the H1N1 flu. You must get a separate vaccination for that virus, which should be availble in late October.

Anyone who is at high risk of having serious seasonal flu-related complications should get vaccinated for the seasonal flu each year.

You are high risk if you:

• Are 6 months to 18 months old
• Are pregnant
• Are 50 years of age or older
• Have certain medical conditions, such as chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, asthma, cardiovascular disease or diabetes
• Live in a nursing home or other long-term care facility

If you live with someone who is at high risk for complications from the seasonal flu, you should also be vaccinated. This include anyone who:

• Lives in the same household with high risk individuals
• Is a healthcare worker
• Lives with someone less than 6 months old

Wash Your Hands

The other very important way to help stop the spread of flu is to practice good hand hygiene. Touch is the most common way pathogens are transmitted from person to person. Regular hand washing is a simple thing to do and very effective in helping to prevent the flu virus from spreading.

Make it a habit to wash your hands often or use an alcohol based hand sanitizer.