INDIANAPOLIS — Doctors say there has been a spike in the number of reported flu cases so far this flu season.
As the peak flu season approaches, doctors work to formulate a shot that consists of the right strains of the flu, but it's not always 100 percent protective.
Dr. James Wood, an infectious disease doctor, says they look at information from Australia and the southern hemisphere to see what the flu strains look like.
"It's not a 100 percent guarantee that the same strains from the southern hemisphere will circulate in the northern hemisphere, but it is usually a pretty good indicator," Wood said.
Because the peak flu season is in January and there have already been seven flu related deaths in Indiana, some places like Riley Children's Hospital have established checkpoints to protect patients.
At the Day Early Learning Center, they are taking steps to help protect kids from the flu.
"At the end of the day when we are cleaning, the teachers are sanitizing toys and tables and surfaces, wiping down door knobs, just to make sure we are killing anything that might be in the air," director Karen Crow said.
Experts say to make sure you are washing your hands, staying home if you have the flu and make sure you get your flu shot.
"We know it is not 100 percent protective," Wood said. "You can still get the flu but people who do get the flu shot are less likely to end up with severe illness."
