The 2026,5002027 flu season is providing unusual signals in parts of the United States, where infections have begun to increase earlier than usual.
According to a report by The Washington Post, published on October 4th, hospitals and health institutions in the West of the United States have registered increased flu activity since September, before the period when the virus is usually expected to spread more intensively.
At Seattle Children's Hospital, about 150 children resulted positive with the flu over a two-week period, compared to only 10 during the current period last year, according to data reported by the newspaper.
Increases in activity have also been observed in Alaska, California, Hawaii, and Nevada.
However, experts stress that these developments do not imply that the whole country is already facing a serious epidemic. National flu activity remains relatively low, though it is showing signs of growth.
For this very reason, experts are urging citizens to prepare for the cold season.
The Associated Press reports that American experts recommend vaccines during October, before the virus spreads widely.
The flu vaccine does not guarantee that a person will not get infected, but may reduce the risk of serious complications and hospital hospitalization.
Dr. Ryan Stanton, from the American College of Emergency Physicians, compared the vaccine to putting the seat belt in the car. According to him, protection does not completely eliminate danger but reduce the possibility of the most serious consequences.
U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend annual flu vaccine for people from six months old and older, with limited medical exemptions.
According to CDC guidelines for the 2026,2027 season, September and October are generally the favourite period for inoculation. However, vaccines may continue later, as long as flu viruses circulate.
Particularly important is the protection of people over 65, pregnant women, small children, and people with chronic illness.
People with asthma, diabetes, heart disease, or lung problems may face higher risk of flu complications.
The CDC suggests that the season vaccines 20262027 have been updated to target flu variants expected to circulate over the coming months.
Their composition includes protection against three groups of flu viruses, including influence variants A(H1N1), A(H3N2) and influence B.
In addition to the vaccine, experts recommend the frequent washing of hands, ventilating closed environments, and avoiding close contacts when a person has symptoms of infection.
The temperature, coughing, muscle pain, fatigue, and throat pain are among the most common symptoms of the flu.
However, symptoms may be similar to those of other respiratory infections, including COVID-19, so tests may be needed in some cases to determine the cause.
Doctors recommend that high - risk people contact health professionals early if they show symptoms, as antiviral treatments are more effective when they start early.
The difficulty in breathing, persistent chest pain, or severe deterioration of the situation require urgent medical evaluation.
Although recent data comes mainly from the United States, the flu season is an annual concern for Europe and other regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
The message of specialists is that citizens do not expect the mass spread of the virus to think about protection.
As winter approaches, timely vaccines and care for symptoms remain among the main measures to reduce the risk of complications.
