Flu season could linger into spring as doctors warn of second wave on the way

Health experts are informing that the 2025-26 flu play isn't implicit yet. In fact, radical should hole for the microorganism to linger good into the warmer months, according to Dr. Michael Glazier, main aesculapian serviceman and pediatrician astatine Bluebird Kids Health successful Florida.

The existent play is tracking with humanities trends, the doc said, arsenic influenza A typically strikes archetypal and astir aggressively.

"The 2025-26 flu play has followed this pattern, with influenza A cases presenting earlier successful the play and causing the bulk of illnesses," Glazier told Fox News Digital.

"Now, however, successful the mediate of February, we are seeing the emergence of influenza B cases, successful summation to the continued predominant beingness of influenza A, which is not unusual, and which volition astir apt proceed into the outpouring months," helium added.

While influenza A dominated the aboriginal winter, a 2nd question of influenza B is present emerging and is expected to persist done the outpouring months. (iStock)

While the timing of the waves is typical, the strength is not. This twelvemonth has been marked by a caller influenza A H3N2 variant known arsenic Subclade K. 

This strain has proven peculiarly hard for respective reasons, according to Glazier. Its newness means the colonisation has precise small defence built up from erstwhile infections, and determination has besides been a alteration successful vaccinations nationwide.

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The existent vaccine has besides shown to person decreased effectiveness against this circumstantial strain.

"Although this was anticipated to beryllium a much mean flu play compared to caller years, the severity appraisal determined by the CDC present ranks this arsenic a precocious severity play for children," Glazier cautioned, noting that astir 60 pediatric deaths person already been attributed to the Subclade K strain this year.

The flu tin beryllium distinguished from outpouring allergies by the beingness of a precocious fever, chills and assemblage aches, which are emblematic of the flu but absent successful allergy sufferers. (iStock)

Glazier said it is "absolutely" not excessively precocious successful the play to get the flu shot.

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"Even if you experienced an earlier influenza A infection, you tin inactive get an influenza B infection," helium said.

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Vaccination remains the champion instrumentality to minimize the duration and severity of the illness, adjacent if the vaccine isn't a cleanable lucifer for the circulating strain, experts say.

Medical experts powerfully urge getting a flu changeable adjacent this precocious successful the season, arsenic it helps minimize the severity of corruption and protects against the rising influenza B strain. (iStock)

Symptoms of outpouring allergies tin disagree from signs of the flu, Glazier said.

The flu is characterized by precocious fever, chills, assemblage aches, nighttime sweats, headaches and stomachaches, symptoms that are not caused by seasonal allergies.

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Glazier urges parents not to disregard persistent oregon recurrent fever, particularly if it doesn't respond to acetaminophen oregon ibuprofen. He besides emphasizes monitoring hydration successful children.

"Children go dehydrated much easy erstwhile sick compared to adults, and this worsens symptoms," helium said.

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Adequate rest, manus hygiene, hydration and nourishment assistance bolster the body’s immune strategy and defence against viruses, the doc added.

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