New research finds this year's flu shot may not be a match for the flu variant that's currently going around.

Doctors say this flu season could get severe.

"The kind that's going to be predominant is one that causes the most severe flu, and so probably it's going to be a bad year for influenza," says Dr. Bill Petri, with the University of Virginia Health.

Doctors say getting the flu shot will still offer some protection against serious illness.

The CDC says the flu can kill up to 52,000 people a year.