One thing not to bring to this year's holiday gatherings: the flu.

A new strain of the influenza virus, known as H3N2 subclade K, is currently circulating throughout the country. Influenza activity nationwide has been increasing since the last weeks of November, with the majority of the influenza viruses that have been sequenced identified as the subclade K variant, said Dr. Chad Smelser, a medical epidemiologist with the New Mexico Department of Health.

Notably, the new strain may be able to sidestep some of the immunity that comes with the influenza vaccine — but that's not a reason to avoid getting your annual flu shot, Smelser said.

"It still means you should get the vaccine, however," he said. "And you do that because the vaccine, although it may not be 100% at protecting you from

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