The weather is finally warming up, but that doesn’t mean flu season is over. In fact, North Texas pediatricians are reporting an unusually late spike in flu cases.
“It’s a very interesting phenomenon because we were not expecting to see flu this late into the year,” Dr. Marcial Oquendo tells NBC 5. He says the late spike in flu cases may have come about because people are out doing more now that COVID cases are down.
“[People say] well I feel fine, I’m already boosted, I have all my shots,” he said. “And even the recommendation of the CDC has been to reduce indoor masking so that all contributes to the fact that we are going to see a spike in flu.”
Flu season typically starts in November and peaks between January and February, according to the CDC. But it’s mid-March and cases are higher than ever. They're expected to rise after spring break, too.
“We have our spring breaks, but once those kids come back, we might start seeing it spread in schools more,” Dr. Oquendo said. “Until those numbers come down, we won’t be able to tell. But a normal season usually lasts about three months.”
Even though this flu season is later than it typically is, doctors say it's just as severe.
More information on flu season can be found here.
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