Public health officials in the United States say resources are being stretched to capacity because of this year's harsh flu season. It's also taking a toll on small businesses, as employees are falling sick more often. Daniel Ryntjes reports.

This winter, the flu epidemic is impacting almost every state and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control says it could become a record-breaking season. Some health authorities are running short on antiviral medicines.

This hospital in Atlanta has even built a temporary emergency facility to treat those whose lives could be threatened by the virus: the very young and the very old.

DR. ANNE SCHUCHAT, ACTING DIRECTOR CENTERS FOR DISEASE CONTROL AND PREVENTION "This is a difficult season but there are things that everybody can do to reduce your risk of flu and reduce the risk that you may spread this to someone else. Wash your hands frequently, cover your nose and mouth when you cough or sneeze and if you are sick, please stay home from school or work. The mild illness that you have might be are much more severe illness in someone else."

That advice hits small businesses hard because they are forced to cut back operations if their workforce falls ill. To combat that threat, Caruso Florist in Washington, D.C., takes a proactive approach so they don't fall behind with orders leading up to Valentine's Day.

MICHAEL J. CARUSO VICE PRESIDENT, CARUSO FLORIST "We try and keep our employees healthy. I encourage them and take them down to CVS and everybody gets a flu shot. They come in in the morning and my father always has fresh fruit next door. So we encourage them to have a nice orange or clementine in the morning too. For the vitamin C."

"And how old is your father?"

"Oh, my father, he's just a baby, he'll be 88 in March, but he's 87 right now."

"I've been working here 72 years."

"And he would be someone who's vulnerable to the flu, right?"

"Absolutely, but you know he stays healthy, he comes in at four o'clock every morning and thank goodness I think we all kind of protect each other."

They will need to continue such vigilance, as this is also forecast to be one of the most prolonged flu seasons in recent history.

DANIEL RYNTJES WASHINGTON "That's led the employment firm Challenger, Gray and Christmas to estimate that in total it will cost businesses nationwide $15.4 billion in lost productivity. Daniel Ryntjes, CGTN, Washington."