TYLER (KYTX)-There’s good news about this year’s flu season, it’s almost over! However, that doesn’t mean we’re out of the woods just yet.

Flu season peaked in late January. Now doctors are seeing ten percent fewer cases.

“We’ve gone from a widespread activity to a regional activity meaning there are some regional spots where you can still see some flu activity,” Stephanie Taylor with NET Health said.

A reminder about protecting yourself with proper hand washing, covering your cough, staying home when you’re sick and getting vaccinated.

“What’s really important is that the flu virus is still here, we are still in flu season so just practicing those general precautions all year round will help you protect yourself and your family,” Taylor said.

Doctors across the area say this year was severe.

“It was pretty bad, the last season was also bad but I think it started early this year so that’s why it looks longer,” Dr. Admir Seferovic with UT Health Northeast said.

The flu should be taken seriously, even now.

“About 36,000 people in the US die of the flu each year or flu related illness, pneumonia. The vaccine is still the most effective way, still the safest way to protect yourself from the flu virus,” Taylor said.

As the virus changes yearly, the vaccine changes too.

“Each year researchers and vaccine production will take into account what the prominent strains are that they’re seeing and will take that into account when developing the next year’s vaccine,” Taylor said.

Those researchers are already in the process of making next year’s shot.

At the beginning of this year’s flu season, doctors were worried about a strain of flu not covered by the vaccine. It looks like that didn’t have a big effect on flu cases, but it’s something researchers will definitely take into consideration for next year.