The flu season is well underway and Alberta Health Services is reporting a milder flu season.

Dr. Judy MacDonald with Alberta Health Services says the numbers are way a lower than last year and recommends you if you haven't yet, get a flu shot.

"When we look at the number of confirmed cases of influenza we've had 166 to date," she says. "When we look at last season which is a totally different animal we had over 2600 cases so every year is different."

MacDonald says there's a number of reasons why the numbers are down from last flu season.

"That may have been because we had very nice weather for such a long time before the snow started to appear," she says. "But now we are expecting influenza activity picking up and there's indications that it is."

She says if you haven't got your shot yet but are going to soon, don't expect immediate results from the shot.

"We've been lucky we haven't seen a lot of activity but it does take two weeks for your body to fully respond to vaccines so now's the time if you've been putting it off," MacDonald says. "You need to step forward and we've got vaccines available through public health facilities, pharmacies and some physicians."