Flu season usually peaks at the end of this month nearly every state has reported widespread flu cases and now doctors believe it's the earliest start of the season in a decade.
You may have noticed lots of sniffling, sneezing and coughing going on at home or in the office health experts say flu season is here and it's off to an early and dangerous start.
"For patients who are elderly or children or those who have major health conditions it can be serious and lead to death," said Brian Haney from Family Pharmacy.
More than 2,200 people have been hospitalized and 18 children have died because of the flu nationwide.
In Texas alone we have 12 percent more positive flu cases than we had at this time last year.
"I used to have the flu every year and I would get so sick I just wanted to die," said Beaumont resident Victoria Price.
The leading medication to get rid of the flu once you catch the virus is Tamiflu.
The anti-viral medication comes in capsule and liquid form and some local pharmacies are running out of the meds.
"Our division is the Houston division that supplies us and they're currently out of the liquid form," said Haney.
The liquid is the form primarily given to young children who catch the flu a very vulnerable group who are at risk for complications.
"We currently have stock available but when that stock runs out we would be able to convert the capsules into liquid form," said Haney.
Haney says when pharmacies ran out of the liquid form a couple years back when the H1N1 virus broke out they had to convert the Tamiflu capsules into the liquid form and they are prepared to do it again if need be.
It isn't too late to protect yourself from the flu by getting vaccinated.
But doctors point out that it takes two weeks for a flu shot to take full effect so it's important to get vaccinated early in the season.
