Legacy’s Guide to Navigating the Flu Season This Winter

As we move deeper into winter, flu season is in full swing across the United States. At Legacy Community Health, we’re committed to keeping you and your family healthy with the latest information, updated vaccines, and practical prevention strategies.

This Season Is Proving Severe

The 2025-2026 flu season is already showing concerning trends. As of early January 2026, the CDC estimates there have been at least 15 million flu illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations, and 7,400 deaths this season, including 17 children. At least 41 states are currently reporting “high” or “very high” influenza activity, and doctors’ visits for flu-like symptoms have reached the highest level in nearly 30 years.

The cumulative hospitalization rate is the second-highest at this time of season since 2010-2011. This season is surpassing last year’s “high severity” season, making it unusual to see two severe flu seasons back to back. Experts warn the season has not yet peaked and is expected to continue for several more weeks.

The dominant strain is influenza A H3N2, specifically subclade K, which accounts for about 90% of cases. This strain emerged in Europe last summer, too late to be included in this year’s vaccine formulation.

What You Need to Know About the Vaccine

Updated Vaccine Formula: All flu vaccines for the 2025-2026 season are trivalent (three-component) vaccines, protecting against one influenza A(H1N1) virus, one influenza A(H3N2) virus, and one influenza B/Victoria lineage virus.

Promising News About Effectiveness: Despite concerns about the H3N2 subclade K mismatch, early research from the University of Pennsylvania and data from England suggest the vaccine may be more effective than predicted. Early estimates show vaccine effectiveness against influenza-associated hospitalization of 70-75% for children and 30-40% for adults. The vaccine appears capable of producing antibodies that provide protection even against subclade K.

It’s Not Too Late to Vaccinate: Flu activity typically continues well into spring. With approximately 130 million doses distributed in the US this season and the flu season far from over, there’s still significant time to benefit from vaccination.

Why You Still Need Your Flu Shot Every Year

The influenza virus is constantly evolving. Additionally, your immunity from last year’s vaccine naturally declines over time, which is why annual vaccination provides the best protection.

As we shared in our post about flu vaccine myths, the vaccine doesn’t give you the flu. It’s made from an inactivated virus, but it does offer substantial protection against severe illness, hospitalization, and death.

Who Needs the Flu Vaccine Most?

The CDC recommends flu vaccination for everyone six months and older, with rare exceptions. However, certain groups are at especially high risk for serious flu complications and should prioritize getting vaccinated:

• Adults 65 years and older: Older adults are more susceptible to severe flu complications
• Young children: Especially those under the age of two; Legacy’s pharmacy team says some children may need two doses to be fully protected, especially if it’s their first time receiving the flu shot. If your child is too young to receive the vaccine (under 6 months old), you can still protect them by vaccinating everyone else in the household. This creates a “cocoon” of protection around the unvaccinated baby.
• Pregnant women: Flu can be more dangerous during pregnancy due to changes in the immune system, heart, and lungs
• People with chronic health conditions: Including heart disease, asthma, diabetes, and other conditions that can make flu complications more serious
• Residents of nursing homes or long-term care facilities
• Immunocompromised individuals: Including those who have had organ transplants or are undergoing cancer treatment

Everyday Prevention Strategies

While vaccination is your best defense against the flu, it works even better when combined with smart prevention habits.

• Wash those hands often: Soap and water for 20 seconds (hum “Happy Birthday” twice) after being out, before meals, and after coughing or sneezing. Use hand sanitizer when you can’t get to a sink.
• Cough and sneeze smart: Use a tissue or your elbow, never your hands. Toss the tissue and wash up. And try not to touch your face.
• Clean and keep distance: Wipe down the things you touch most (doorknobs, phones, keyboards). If someone’s sick, keep a little space between you since flu spreads through droplets when people cough, sneeze, or talk.
• Take care of yourself: Prioritize sleep, stress management, good nutrition, activity, and hydration.
• Stay home when sick: If you’re feverish and achy, stay home for at least 24 hours after your fever’s gone (without fever medicine).

When to Seek Care

While cold and flu symptoms overlap (runny nose, sore throat, cough), the flu typically brings more intense symptoms, like fever, body aches, headache, chills, and extreme fatigue. Other flu symptoms include vomiting and diarrhea (especially in children).

Managing symptoms at home:

Keep your child comfortable so they can rest and recover:

• Fever: Acetaminophen or ibuprofen (follow package dosing for ages 2+; consult your doctor for younger children)
• Congestion: Saline nasal drops/spray and humidifiers
• Cough: Honey for children 12 months+ (brush teeth after)
• Hydration: Ensure plenty of fluids

Seek immediate medical attention if your child has:

• Trouble breathing, rapid breathing, or ribs pulling in with each breath
• Pale, gray, or blue-colored skin, lips, or nail beds
• Severe muscle pain (refuses to walk)
• Dehydration (no urination for 8 hours, dry mouth, no tears)
• Not waking up or not interacting when awake
• Seizures
• Fever of 104°F+ (or any fever under 3 months old)
• Fever lasting 5+ days
• Symptoms that improve, then return worse
• Worsening chronic conditions like asthma

For adults, seek care for:

• Difficulty breathing or chest/abdominal pain or pressure
• Sudden dizziness or confusion
• Severe or persistent vomiting
• Symptoms that improve, then return worse

About antiviral medications: Contact your health care provider within 48 hours of symptom onset. While most recover with rest and fluids, antivirals like oseltamivir can shorten illness duration when started within 1-2 days. Ask about antivirals if your child has underlying health conditions (asthma, heart disease, diabetes, weakened immune system, etc.), is under 5 years old, has worsening symptoms, or is in contact with high-risk individuals.

Antivirals aren’t a vaccine substitute, and antibiotics won’t help the flu: they only treat bacterial infections, not viruses.

The Triple Threat: Flu, COVID-19, and RSV

One of the most significant changes in recent years is that we’re now managing multiple respiratory viruses simultaneously. The respiratory virus season includes not just flu, but also COVID-19 and RSV (respiratory syncytial virus). This makes vaccination even more important.

You can receive your flu vaccine and COVID-19 vaccine at the same visit. The CDC recommends the 2025-2026 COVID-19 vaccine for people 6 months and older based on shared decision-making with your healthcare provider, with particular emphasis on those 65 and older, pregnant individuals, and people at increased risk for severe COVID-19. RSV immunization is recommended for infants and adults 75 and older (or adults 50-74 with certain risk factors).

Get Your Flu Shot at Legacy Community Health

Did you know? After you get your flu shot, it takes about 2 weeks for it to “kick in” and start protecting you.  That’s why it’s important to get your flu shot as soon as possible.

Although the flu seems like a minor illness, it can easily turn into something more serious, resulting in hospitalizations or even death.  Even in the best cases, it typically results in missed school and/or work days.  The best way to avoid any of these scenarios is to get you and your child vaccinated.

Legacy Community Health offers flu shots at all of our clinic locations, and we often have walk-in appointments available during flu season. Getting vaccinated is one of the most important steps you can take to protect your health this winter. Call Legacy Community Health at 832-548-5000 or visit our website to schedule your appointment today.