Public health officials say a mutated strain of Influenza A H3N2 is spreading in the United States and other countries, leading to warnings that this could be a severe flu season.
This mutated strain emerged over the summer in the Southern hemisphere and is now causing outbreaks of flu in multiple counties in the Northern hemisphere.
If you have symptoms of flu, consider getting tested. Some local health departments offer them, but you can also purchase them at local pharmacies and grocery stores.
Many viral illnesses just need to run their course, but there are antiviral medications to treat flu. They are most effective when started within the first two days of experiencing symptoms. Treatment is especially important for people at higher risk of complications from flu.
Health officials continue to urge people to get the flu vaccine. It can reduce how sick you get, help prevent hospitalizations and offers protections against multiple strains.
The bottom line, according to public health officials: this is an important year to get vaccinated against flu. To have the best protection, get your flu shot as soon as possible. Once you have been vaccinated, it takes 10-14 days for your immune system to develop antibodies that can protect you against a flu infection.
All flu vaccines for the 2025-2026 season are trivalent, which means they include three vaccine viruses. This means they are formulated to protect against three main seasonal influenza Type A and B viruses: an A(H1N1) virus, an A(H3N2) virus, and a B/Victoria lineage virus.
The CDC says everyone 6 months of age and older, with rare exceptions, should get a flu vaccine. Getting a yearly flu vaccination is the best way to reduce the risk from flu and its potentially serious complications.
This is not expected to be a shortage, as vaccine manufacturers have projected that they will supply the United States with as many as 154 million doses of flu vaccine for the 2025-2026 influenza season.
Contact your local health department or your health care provider for more information.
By Tom Latek, Kentucky Today
