The flu is taking a heavy toll on the state of Oklahoma this season. According to KFOR, 74 people have died from the outbreak since Sept. 1. Meanwhile, the state has seen over 2,000 hospitalizations resulting from the viral infection, which has been wreaking havoc across the U.S.
Oklahoma pharmacist Dani Lynch said medicine is becoming harder to find in the Sooner State.
“We are now seeing a shortage in the [generic] children's liquid,” she said, adding that her pharmacy can still get the drug in the brand name, but it's more expensive. Lynch said the brand name medicine can run as much as $170 per bottle.
As a result, insurance companies sometimes try to get parents to buy the generic version even when it's not available.
CVS pharmacies in Oklahoma did not report any shortage, but Walgreens acknowledged that they were “experiencing greater demand for antiviral medications used to treat influenza.”
