BATON ROUGE - As Louisiana eventually approaches cooler weather, medical experts are urging residents to prepare for this year's flu season. 

Last season there were more than 80,000 flu-related deaths nationwide. In Louisiana, 1,600 people died and another 1,500 were hospitalized due to influenza. 

Doctors say this year won't be as bad, but people should take the necessary precautions by getting vaccinated.

Local experts tell WBRZ that the flu season will pick up around Thanksgiving. The drier conditions allow the virus to spread faster.

People's changing schedules also contribute to the rise of the flu. Students are off from school and often catch the flu from being in a different environment. During the holidays, people interact with others they typically wouldn't normally be around, like extended family or strangers.

Flu season doesn't just run from November to December, doctors say we'll see signs of the flu continue into 2019.