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Last updated on Wednesday, December 31, 2014
(INDIANAPOLIS) - The Centers for Disease Control says the flu is now widespread in Indiana and most of the country.
Some pharmacies continue to deal with a shortage of a common drug to help treat it.
This season brings with it another mutated form of the common flu, but with the increased number of cases Tamiflu supplies are running low.
CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said earlier this month, they feared it could lead to more hospitalizations and more deaths than we've seen in the past.
Four deaths have been reported from the flu in the week ending December 20th.
The CDC warns flu shots are not as effective against this strain, and preventative measures such as disinfectants and thorough hand-washing need to be practiced.
The vaccine for this flu season was created in February and fights three specific strains, which don't include the latest mutation which is now an H3 subtype.
Dr. Frieden says it's too late to make a new vaccine for this season, because it takes four months to manufacture. He says despite being less effective, people should still get the shot because it can make symptoms less severe.
Along with encouraging everyone to get a flu shot, doctors want anyone who exhibits flu-like symptoms to stay home and schedule a doctor's appointment in order to start anti-viral medication as soon as possible.
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