According to the Minnesota Department of Health the flu is sending more Minnesotans to the hospital this year compared to most years.

So far, there have been more than 5,000 hospitalizations due to the flu this year. Compare that to 4,375 hospitalizations in 2023/2024 and 3,338 hospitalizations in 2022/2023… And even 4,022 hospitalizations before the pandemic in the 2019/2020 season.

Of course peak flu season is not over yet; it can sometimes last into March.

All of this has more families than usual asking about Tamiflu — a prescription that can be used to offset the duration and severity of the flu if it’s taken early enough.

Tamiflu can cause side effects like nausea and has to be taken within 48-to-72 hours from the onset of symptoms.

How and when it is used depends on each individual provider.

“What we’ve seen with the studies and the data is that it can reduce a course of illness by a day on average. When you are feeling miserable, sometimes that day can be valuable,” said Dr. Krishnan Subrahmanian with Hennepin Healthcare.

“A lot of times, it’s a risk-benefit conversation, and you have to choose what is best for your family,” he added.

Health experts say the best protection from the flu is getting vaccinated, and it’s not too late in the season to do so. According to the Minnesota Department of Health, about 31.5% of Minnesotans have gotten a flu shot this year.