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-Editorial
The seasonal flu this year is the worst the US has experienced in 15 years. According to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than
29 million cases of influenza have been reported, leading to at least 370,000 hospitalizations, and 16,000 deaths.
Speakers at this week’s Ethnic Media Services panel discussed the alarming rise in cases of flu; tips for preventing and treating the illness; underlying environmental and health factors that make certain populations, including kids and elders more vulnerable to flu-related pneumonia; and lower vaccination rates.
As flu cases continue to rise across the U.S., experts warn that lower vaccination rates are contributing to the severity of this season’s outbreak. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, Professor of Medicine and director of the immunocompromised host infectious diseases program at the University of California, San Francisco, said initial projections underestimated the impact of influenza this season.
“I remember when we were meeting with the California Department of Public Health in the late fall, the projections from the CDC were that this would be an average season,” Chin-Hong said. “But they also said that COVID would be relatively higher than it was. It’s almost like a seesaw—we saw much more flu and less COVID.”
One of the key drivers of the flu’s widespread impact is the combination of lower vaccination rates and the dominant flu strains circulating this year. “With more H3N2, as well as H1N1, and primarily driven by lower vaccination rates, we’re seeing a significant impact,” he noted.
Flu vaccination rates have steadily declined among both children and older adults, raising concerns about increased vulnerability to severe illness. Dr. Peter Chin-Hong highlighted the alarming drop in flu vaccine uptake, noting that vaccination rates among children have fallen from 58% in 2020 to the mid-40% range this season. Similarly, among adults over 65—one of the most at-risk populations—vaccination rates have declined from 52% in the 2019-2020 season to approximately 43% in 2024-2025.
“Although two-thirds of severe illness and deaths are in those over 65, a surprising number of children have also been seriously ill this year, including deaths,” Chin-Hong said. “We’ve had about 86 kids die in the U.S., which is very high for flu, and we’re not even two-thirds of the way through the season.”
Flu symptoms can develop suddenly and be severe. “People say that flu is different from a cold or even COVID because it’s like you’re minding your own business, and all of a sudden, you feel like you got hit by a dump truck,” Chin-Hong explained.
Typical flu symptoms include fever and chills, cough and shortness of breath, muscle aches, and fatigue, as well as a sore throat and runny nose.
For children, severe illness can present as poor appetite, lethargy, and dehydration. “Pediatricians have told me that when a child is crying but doesn’t produce tears, it’s a sign of dehydration,” he said. In older adults, symptoms may be harder to detect, as they do not always develop a fever.
Despite being in the middle of flu season, Chin-Hong urged that it is not too late to get vaccinated. “Flu is notorious for having a long tail—it can go until April, sometimes even May. So you can still get benefit from the vaccine,” he said.
Additionally, he emphasized the risk of flu strains mutating when different strains circulate simultaneously. “The more bird flu and human flu are around each other, the more they can exchange genetic material, increasing the risk of new strains emerging. By getting the human flu vaccine, you can lower the chances of this happening,” he warned.
For those who contract the flu, antiviral medications such as Tamiflu can reduce severity, but they must be taken within 48 hours of symptom onset. “The problem with Tamiflu is that you have less time than with Paxlovid for COVID. You only have two days to start it, which requires getting a diagnosis quickly,” Chin-Hong said.
He also noted that antivirals can be used as a preventive measure in high-risk households. “If you have flu in the household but live with a very young infant or an elderly grandparent, you can ask for a prescription for them to take antivirals to prevent infection,” he added.
Chin-Hong warned against underestimating the flu, particularly in children. “I think people looked at COVID and thought, ‘Well, my kids are going to be fine.’ But flu is a different beast. It targets kids,” he said, citing the 2009 swine flu outbreak as an example of how children can be disproportionately affected. “We need to change the narrative from kids not being at risk to kids being at risk,” Chin-Hong concluded.
Flu vaccination rates remain alarmingly low among Latino, Black, and American Indian communities, reflecting systemic disparities in healthcare access, according to Dr. Daniel Turner-Lloveras, Co-Founder and CEO of The Latino Health Innovation Alliance|SaludConTech and an adjunct professor at the University of Southern California Keck School of Medicine.
“Environmental social factors significantly impact who suffers from the flu,” Turner-Lloveras said, emphasizing that lower vaccination rates among minority populations lead to disproportionate risks. He pointed out that these disparities are not random but part of a broader systemic issue.
“We may wonder why certain groups consistently have lower vaccination rates,” he said. “If it were accidental, the numbers would fluctuate, but when the same communities face the same barriers year after year, it becomes clear this is a systemic problem.”
One major obstacle preventing vulnerable populations from seeking healthcare, he noted, is fear—especially among immigrant communities. “About 22% of people are skipping necessary healthcare due to deportation concerns,” Turner-Lloveras said, citing survey data. “This avoidance creates silent epidemics that eventually affect us all.”
He also criticized the federal government’s decision to abruptly cancel a meeting regarding next season’s flu vaccine, calling it a “dangerous policy that puts lives at risk.” Turner-Lloveras underscored that vaccination saves lives and that any action hindering public health efforts contributes to preventable deaths.
The doctor also pointed to recent cases in San Diego County, where an outbreak among teenagers led to fatalities among unvaccinated individuals. “Flu vaccination rates in Black, Latino, and American Indian populations remain below 43%, and these disparities have only worsened due to policy decisions over the last several years,” he said.
Immigration-related fears, compounded by policies in states like Florida and Texas requiring healthcare facilities to ask about immigration status, further deter people from seeking care. “If we had a federal government truly committed to health equity, we could challenge these policies,” Turner-Lloveras said. “Instead, we see the opposite—fear, funding cuts, and silence from those who should be speaking out.”
The ongoing debate over Medicaid funding cuts adds another layer of concern. Turner-Lloveras warned of the “astronomical consequences” such cuts would have, particularly for minority communities that rely on these programs due to economic disparities.
He also called on healthcare providers to reflect on their ethical obligations. “Physicians take the Hippocratic Oath to not harm,” he said. “If you’re asking patients about their immigration status, you are causing harm. We need to decide what takes precedence—following policies that instill fear or ensuring patients receive the care they need.”
When asked about protecting children from flu-related complications, Turner-Lloveras stressed the importance of preventive care. “Any chronic disease—whether it’s asthma, diabetes, or high blood pressure—puts individuals at higher risk of severe flu complications,” he explained. “Getting vaccinated is crucial, but so is ensuring access to care before illness strikes.”
He advocated for solutions that remove barriers to vaccination, such as offering flu shots at workplaces, churches, grocery stores, and childcare centers. “On-site vaccination programs have been shown to increase rates and decrease complications,” he said. “We need to bring vaccines to where people already are, rather than forcing them to navigate a healthcare system that too often fails them.”
Turner-Lloveras concluded with a call to action: “We can’t wait for policy changes to fix these issues. Communities, healthcare providers, and local governments must take proactive steps to protect vulnerable populations now.”
The United States is experiencing a severe flu season, with 29 million cases reported so far. According to Dr. Benjamin Neuman, Professor of Biology and former Chief Virologist at the Global Health Research Complex at Texas A&M University, a decline in vaccination rates has contributed significantly to the surge.
“The best year we had in recent memory for stopping the flu was in 2020-2021,” said Dr. Neuman. “That year, we distributed 48 million more vaccines than have been given so far this year, and we nearly suppressed all flu strains.”
The effectiveness of flu vaccines varies by strain. Dr. Neuman noted that the current vaccine is performing well against H1N1, the descendant of the 2009 pandemic strain. However, H3N2—a historically more difficult strain to suppress—remains a challenge.
Beyond vaccination rates, Dr. Neuman raised concerns about government policies impacting scientific research and public health initiatives. He criticized Secretary Kennedy for actions that appeared to align with an anti-vaccine stance, contrary to statements made during Senate confirmation hearings.
“This is undermining our ability to plan for the future,” he said, emphasizing that pulling funding from scientific projects on short notice can set back critical research.
One significant policy shift has been the cancellation of key FDA meetings where vaccine strategies could have been adjusted. Historically, flu vaccines targeted two types of influenza A and two types of influenza B. However, due to widespread COVID-19 vaccination efforts, one strain of influenza B was driven to extinction. The current vaccine now targets two influenza A strains and one influenza B strain, but the evolving nature of H3N2 remains a challenge.
Dr. Neuman suggested that modifying the vaccine composition could help curb the spread of flu, but stressed that public participation in vaccination programs is essential. “People would have to take the vaccine for that to work,” he said.
