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 CLEVELAND, Ohio -- This flu season shows no signs of slowing down as this week alone the Cuyahoga County Board of Health announces six additional adult flu-related deaths. 
 
 The Cleveland Clinic states around 930 people have been hospitalized so far this season for the flu including totals from Akron General Hospital. It's the largest amount they've seen since the worst flu season in recent memory in 2014-2015. 
 
 So far nationwide the CDC reports at least 30 children have died from the flu. The number is expected to rise as many health experts cannot yet determine if we have seen the worst of flu season. 
 
 "It's incredible to think about a normal, healthy child who can succumb to the flu and succumb very, very quickly; that is the nature of the illness," said Dr. Susan Rehm, Vice Chair of the Department of Infectious Disease at the Cleveland Clinic. 
 
 The CDC is still recommending vaccination as the best option to keep the flu at bay, citing it can reduce chances of getting the virus by up to 60 percent. However, Dr. Rehm cautions it can take up to two weeks to become effective. In the meantime, she has advice on symptoms you may not realize you need to watch for in your children. 
 
 "A fever that does not go away or one that goes away for a while and comes back; anybody that has difficulty breathing or trouble staying awake those are the types of things that should lead people to seek care," said Dr. Rehm. 
 
 **Read more information from the CDC, right here** 
 
 For now, the mystery remains about when the widespread and deadly flu season will end and if we have seen the worst of it yet. According to Dr. Rehm, several more weeks of information is needed to determine how long it will last. 
 
 Read more stories on the flu, here. ||||| (CNN) Health officials across the United States are still urging people to get their flu vaccines as the virus continues to spread in 40 states and Puerto Rico and has been associated with 20 pediatric deaths, seven of them reported in the week ending February 4. 
 
 Flu activity is "high" to "extremely high" in 24 regions. Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Georgia, Hawaii, Kansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, South Dakota, Tennessee, Texas and Wyoming rank as the states with the highest levels of flu and flu-like illness activity. 
 
 "It looks like it is picking up again, which is pretty typical during this time of year, especially when all the schools and colleges, in particular, go back in session," said Dr. David Topham, director of respiratory pathogens at the University of Rochester. 
 
 "We are hitting at the peak right now, which is pretty typical for late January mid-February for influenza." 
 
 The CDC and the medical community continue to emphasize the importance of getting vaccinated to protect yourself and others from contracting or spreading the virus. 
 
 "With the flu season that's going on right now, it is not too late for a vaccine," said Dr. James Steinberg, chief medical officer at Emory University Hospital Midtown in Atlanta. 
 
 "It wasn't an early season, and if people haven't gotten the vaccine, there is still time to get it," he said of the best way to guard against the spread of the virus. 
 
 Flu vs. cold 
 
 Influenza is a highly contagious viral infection and is more severe than the common cold. 
 
 "There is some overlap between the common cold and the flu, but the flu often starts with an abrupt onset of symptoms," Steinberg said. 
 
 Symptoms include a fever or chills, headache, soreness and the "feeling that you don't want to get out of bed." 
 
 Some groups, such as children, elderly and those with chronic conditions, are at a higher risk of complications. 
 
 When it comes to the types of influenza, not all are created equal. There are four types of the virus: A, B, C and D. In humans, influenza A and B are the two that routinely cause the seasonal flu each year. 
 
 Influenza A viruses are broken down into subtypes, based on two proteins: hemagglutinin (H) and neuraminidase (N). This naming system is how scientists identify the subtypes of Influenza A. H1N1 became well-known in 2009 after causing the first influenza pandemic in over 40 years. 
 
 Influenza B viruses don't have subtypes but are broken down by strains and lineages. Since humans are natural hosts of influenza B and the virus mutates much slower than influenza A, pandemics rarely occur with this type. 
 
 "Some types of strains are more severe for certain people," CDC spokeswoman Kristen Nordlund said. "We know from previous experience that H3N2 is more severe for young children and those 65 and older." 
 
 Steinberg emphasized the importance of vaccinations for people living with high-risk individuals. 
 
 "(High-risk recipients') response to the vaccine isn't as good as somebody who's not elderly or not a small infant," he said. "If you live in the household or take care of somebody who's at risk for severe influenza, I think that's a strong reason for those people to get the vaccine, because they can protect their loved ones who are at higher risk of complications." 
 
 "While flu spreads every year, the timing, severity and length of the season varies from one year to another," Nordlund said. 
 
 Typically, flu season in the United States begins in October and reaches its seasonal peak between December and March before slowing through spring. 
 
 Topham stresses the potential dangers of contracting the illness, which has been a leading cause of death across the US and around the world for decades. 
 
 "The reality is, getting the flu can be a serious thing. It can make children and the elderly in particular, who are our most vulnerable populations, very ill. Get vaccinated, because you protect yourself and you protect the people around you." 
 
 What to do if you have the flu 
 
 Most people who experience mild symptoms do not need to seek immediate medical attention. 
 
 "Most healthy people who get influenza infection do fine with getting plenty of fluid and rest," said Dr. Pritish Tosh, an infectious disease physician and researcher at the Mayo Clinic. "They should stay home from school or work and ensure that they are getting the rest and fluids they need." 
 
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 But Tosh said there are times when going to the doctor is necessary. "They should seek medical attention if there are concerns for severe infection such as difficulty breathing." 
 
 Tosh also said patients in high-risk groups who experience flu-like symptoms should seek medical attention. 
 
 "Older adults, infants and those with substantial underlying medical problems have a higher risk of complications from influenza infection and should seek medical attention, including consideration for antiviral medications." 
 
 People often mistake symptoms of stomach flu, gastroenteritis, for the seasonal flu virus, but the two are not related. 
 
 "We call a lot of things the flu," Topham said. "It's a completely different infection, different virus." 
 
 Still, the CDC says that the best way to protect yourself and others from influenza is to get vaccinated. ||||| Atlanta (CNN) -- The spread of the flu across the United States appears to have slowed in some areas, but officials won't know for weeks whether the cases have peaked, the CDC director said Friday. 
 
 Twenty-four states and New York City were reporting high levels of flu activity, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's flu advisory report for December 30 through January 5. That's down from 29 states the previous week, said Dr. Thomas Frieden, director of the CDC. 
 
 However, "The only area of the country that's still relatively unaffected ... is the far West Coast," although plenty of cases have been reported there, Dr. Joseph Bresee, chief of the Epidemiology and Prevention Branch of the CDC's Influenza Division, said Friday. 
 
 The number of pediatric deaths associated with influenza rose by two, according to the CDC. 
 
 There have been 20 deaths of people under the age of 18 since the flu outbreak began. While the CDC does not count the number of adult deaths related to the flu, some states do, and that data suggests dozens have died. 
 
 According to the latest CDC activity map, flu levels dropped in several states, particularly in the Southeast, including Georgia, Florida, South Carolina, Arkansas and Kentucky. In the Northeast, levels in some states have also improved, such as New York, but New York City remains among the areas of high activity. 
 
 The number of states reporting widespread activity, however, increased to 47 from 41, according to the CDC's flu advisory report. The only states without widespread activity are California, Hawaii and Mississippi. 
 
 "Widespread" means that more than 50% of geographic regions in a state -- counties, for example -- are reporting flu activity. It addresses the spread of the flu, not its severity. 
 
 "Bottom line: It's flu season," Frieden told reporters. Flu activity is "elevated" in most of the United States, he said, and "it may be decreasing in some areas, but that's hard to predict ... influenza activity ebbs and flows." 
 
 Officials will know in the next couple of weeks whether the season has peaked, he said. "The only thing predictable about the flu is, it's unpredictable." 
 
 "... We are into what would classically be described as a flu epidemic," Dr. Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases at the National Institutes of Health, told CNN's Wolf Blitzer on Thursday. 
 
 "It's still on the uptick," he said. 
 
 "Remember, once it peaks, you still have a considerable amount of time where there is a lot of flu activity, and right now it may have peaked in some places, but for the most part, it has not yet peaked," Fauci said. 
 
 Many reports of emergency rooms and clinics being overwhelmed with patients could be linked to other illnesses, too. This is also a prominent season for many other respiratory viruses, Bresee said. Norovirus, which causes diarrhea and vomiting, has also been circulating. 
 
 Vaccination 
 
 Although the flu vaccine is far from perfect, it's the best prevention tool we have, Frieden said. You can still get it -- it's better late than never. 
 
 The flu vaccine is about 62% effective, Frieden said. 
 
 "The 62% -- we'd love it to be better, but it is actually a substantial public health benefit for the population," Bresee said. 
 
 Based on vaccine coverage surveys, 37% of Americans had been vaccinated by mid-November, CDC officials said. That's about on track with what was seen at this time last year. 
 
 "We have seen a lot of vaccination happening in the last couple of weeks," Bresee said. "I don't know where we'll end up this year." 
 
 Vaccine manufacturers told CNN on Thursday that there is plenty of vaccine for those who want to get a flu shot. 
 
 However, there are reports of spot shortages of the vaccine, Frieden said, so call your provider ahead of time if you still want to get the vaccine. 
 
 "You may have to check in several places to find the vaccine, because most of the more than 130 million doses that were produced by vaccine manufacturers this year have already been given," he said. 
 
 Early flu season 
 
 The flu came early this season, and cases are more severe than last year, health officials say. 
 
 Massachusetts is one state that the CDC had identified as having high activity of influenza-like illness based on the week ending December 29, but downgraded it to "moderate" activity in Friday's update. 
 
 Boston Mayor Thomas Menino had declared a public health emergency in the city Wednesday because of the flu. 
 
 Since October 1, there have been 700 confirmed influenza cases among Boston residents, according to Menino's office; that's 10 times more than were seen in all of last year's flu season. 
 
 There have been 18 flu-related deaths this season in Massachusetts, CNN affiliate WCVB reported. Hospitalization rates are higher than in the last two years, Kevin Cranston of the state's Bureau of Infectious Diseases told WCVB. Most deaths have been in older patients, he said. 
 
 Menino is collaborating with the Boston Public Health Commission and community health centers to offer free vaccination clinics this weekend. The mayor urged residents to stay home from work or school if they are sick, and to get flu shots. 
 
 "This is the worst flu season we've seen since 2009, and people should take the threat of flu seriously," Menino said in a statement. More than 4% of emergency department visits at Boston hospitals are from flu cases, up from 1% during non-flu season. 
 
 Massachusetts General Hospital has already counted 532 cases of flu among patients, which is more than the Boston hospital saw in any of the previous three flu seasons, spokeswoman Kristen Stanton said Wednesday. 
 
 Signs posted throughout the hospital discourage anyone from visiting who has a cough or fever, she said, and anyone who does visit with those symptoms must wear a mask and perform hand hygiene. All staff must wear a mask when caring for possible flu patients, and staff members who have not been vaccinated must wear a mask while caring for any patient. 
 
 As an extra precaution amid flu fears, Bishop Robert P. Deeley of Boston sent a note to all pastors in the Boston Archdiocese suggesting that during the Sign of Peace, "the faithful, instead of a handshake, may bow to the persons nearby." Similarly, in Washington, a note from the Archdiocese's communications office says that parishioners don't have to shake hands or receive communion from the chalice. 
 
 "Those who are sick may wish to watch the Sunday TV Mass on their television at home and pray in solidarity with their parish community," the statement said. 
 
 Deaths in other states 
 
 The CDC only tracks pediatric flu-related deaths, but some individual states release reports of influenza deaths among adults. 
 
 The Oklahoma Department of Health said Thursday the state has had eight influenza-linked deaths since September 30, while the Minnesota Department of Health has recorded 27 flu-related deaths. 
 
 "We are clearly at a high level of influenza activity in the state," Minnesota Health Commissioner Dr. Edward Ehlinger said in a statement. "But it's important to keep this year in perspective: What is occurring has happened before." 
 
 The number of flu-related deaths elsewhere, according to state health officials: 
 
 -- Pennsylvania has had 22 deaths. Most of the deaths were among people older than 65. 
 
 -- Indiana has 13 confirmed adult deaths and two pediatric deaths. 
 
 -- Arkansas has seven confirmed flu fatalities. 
 
 -- South Carolina has counted 22 deaths. 
 
 -- In Illinois, there have been six deaths. 
 
 -- In Michigan, there have been four pediatric deaths. 
 
 Type of flu 
 
 The type of flu that is going around is called H3N2, which is often linked to more serious disease, compared with some other flu varieties, Fauci said. 
 
 That type of flu matches up well to the vaccine that is being distributed and given out throughout the United States. 
 
 People may get more complications from this particular strain of H3N2, "which may make them ill for a longer period of time," Dr. Michael Jhung, medical epidemiologist in the influenza division at the CDC, told CNN's Mary Snow. 
 
 Symptoms typically last up to seven days for a normal infection, he said. 
 
 If you have the flu, how are you treating it? Send photos of your flu survival kits. 
 
 CNN's Joe Sutton and Maggie Schneider contributed to this report.
– Sobering stats out of the CDC Friday show that 37 kids have perished from the respiratory illness as of last Saturday—and the flu season is on track to be one of the worst in 15 years, the Washington Post reports. Nearly 12,000 people have required hospitalization so far, and flu activity was said to be high or even "extreme" in 39 states, as well as New York City and Puerto Rico. Health officials say the final pediatric death toll might exceed the 148 deaths recorded in the 2014-15 season. More details and developments: NBC News reports the death toll may be even higher than what's been reported, and Dr. John Williams, head of pediatric infectious diseases at Children's Hospital of Pittsburgh, notes "we probably haven't peaked yet." Although NBC adds that influenza usually isn't cause for too much alarm with prompt and proper treatment, it cites the cases of two children who died this month after experiencing "typical" cold or flu symptoms. The best way to keep your own kids safe, says Williams: Get them vaccinated. Fox 8 Cleveland lists child-specific symptoms parents should look for that might warrant a trip to the doctor, including labored breathing, finding it hard to keep from dozing off, and an unrelenting fever (or one that vanishes, only to reemerge). "It's incredible to think about a normal, healthy child who can succumb to the flu and succumb very, very quickly," a Cleveland Clinic doctor warns.