Last year's flu season put more than 7,000 Wisconsin residents in the hospital and killed nearly 400, that's twice as many as the year before.

With only 36 percent of Wisconsin residents getting the flu shot last year, health officials say there's room for improvement. The Eau Claire City-County Health Department says cases of the flu tend to pick up around October and peaks between December and February. Flu season can even stick around through the month of May.

Health officials say the dangers of the flu are real and can pose a bigger risk to young children and older adults. “It’s tough on their lungs so if they have any underlying conditions or even if they don’t, it can lead to pneumonia or some other bacterial illness and that’s usually what causes people to go into respiratory distress," Allison Gosbin, Public Health Nurse.

Gosbin says more and more local residents are being impacted. "This past flu season, we had an increased number of hospital associated influenza cases," she said. There were 143 cases in Eau Claire County alone. Gosbin says this was significantly higher than the previous five years.

The Wisconsin Department of Health Services says simple ways to avoid spreading the flu and other viruses include:

• Wash your hands often with soap and water, or use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer.

• Cover your cough or sneeze with your upper sleeve, and try to avoid touching your face with your hand. 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.

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

• Frequently clean commonly touched surfaces, such as doorknobs, the refrigerator handle, telephones and faucets.

• If you’re sick, stay home, rest, drink plenty of liquids and avoid using alcohol and tobacco.

• See a health care provider if your symptoms persist or get worse.

While there are many ways to protect yourself, health officials say getting your flu shot is your best bet. "Not only does that flu shot protect you, but it protects your family, it protects your friends, it protects the community,” said Gosbin.

Fortunately, there's no shortage of places you can go to get the shot. Local hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and the health department offer shots.