In its peak months, the flu has become more deadly than ever this season to people of all ages. This year the flu vaccine was only ten percent effective, way below the average of forty to sixty percent.

Downey High students were no strangers to this ongoing epidemic. Over the break, Khowlah Azzam, 12, got sick with the flu.

“I stayed home all week,” Azzam said. “I would not get the flu shot though, it takes up too much time.”

The flu virus strain is known to mutate multiple times, which makes it difficult to guess which strain will affect the population each year.

Bryan Tercero 11, was yet another victim of this season’s flu, yet did not feel the major effects.

“I had a sore throat and a runny nose and things like that,” Tercero said. “[The flu] was the same as it was before [when he had it].”

The flu season mainly affects the younger and older population, which is why it’s important to get the flu shot. You can protect not only yourself from getting a severe case of the virus but also those too young, old, or even those with already compromised immune systems stay protected this flu season.

Taelor McDonald, 12, a victim of the flu, gives advice to those who might get sick.

“I got sick last week,” McDonald said. “I would tell people to wash their hands, watch who your around, and use vapor rub.”

The death toll for flu related deaths is up to 147 since the flu season began in October. People over the age of 65 made up the majority of these deaths, although there have been reports of and 18 year old man, 26 year old woman and a 10 year old boy all dying of this disease.