LEXINGTON, Ky. (WKYT) - Doctors in Lexington say they're seeing flu cases earlier than usual. The Centers for Disease Control have bumped Kentucky's flu activity level from "local" to "regional".

"You've got a high fever, you've got a headache, your muscle aches, you just feel bad. You feel like you've been hit by a truck," said Dr. Jeff Foxx.

Foxx says his office has been seeing flu patients weeks earlier than usual.

"We probably see it after Christmas, January or February. Starting to see it a little earlier now," he said.

The CDC has moved Kentucky from "local", meaning flu is present in a single region of the state, to "regional", meaning it's now spread to at least two. Foxx says even though cases are up, more people have gotten vaccinated

"Hopefully with vaccinating people, even though we're seeing it early, hopefully we won't see more of it. The more people that get the vaccine, the less frequency we're going to see and I think the vaccine this year is pretty good, so hopefully we're going to prevent widespread flu," said Foxx.

As families gather for the holidays, Foxx said it's important to do what you can to stay healthy.

"When you cough, cover your mouth. It's spread by respiratory droplets. Wash your hands. Stay away from people who are sick," he said.

Dr. Foxx said it's not too late to get a flu shot to protect yourself for the rest of the season.