ST. LOUIS (KMOX) – It’s not too soon to get your flu shot for the upcoming influenza season.

That’s according to the St. Louis College of Pharmacy’s Clark Kebodeaux.

“It’s not uncommon to see them in August and September,” Kebodeaux said. “It’s really the start of when the flu vaccine comes out and this way, when the vaccine comes out, the more folks we can get vaccinated, the more who can be protected if the flu season were to come early.”

This year’s influenza vaccine protects against two “A strains” – an H1N1-like virus, the same as last year – and a new H3N2 virus this year, along with a B strain of the virus. Everyone over six months of age is recommended to get the vaccine.