Flu vaccination rates among U.S. adults have fallen 24% since 2020, putting this season on track for a seven-year low. Many Americans say they skip

The 2024-2025 flu season resulted in 266 pediatric deaths, with 90% of the children who died being eligible for a flu vaccine but not vaccinated, highlighting the importance of annual flu vaccination for everyone 6 months and older.

Family doctors stop ordering vaccines for next winter because it is ‘no longer financially viable’, says union

PORTSMOUTH, Va. (WAVY) — The 2025-2026 flu season has been one of the worst in recent history. According to CDC data, during the last week of 2025, the influenza-associated hospitalization rate peaked at 12.

Vaccinating children also helps reduce the spread of flu to more vulnerable people, including babies, older adults and those with underlying health conditions. Pregnant women are also routinely offered a flu jab, which helps protect babies until they are old enough to be vaccinated.

RSV, and other respiratory illnesses are trending downward across Virginia, Portsmouth continues to lag behind much of Hampton Roads in flu vaccination rates.

Comparatively, Pitt County’s reported flu vaccine numbers are only 0.4% lower than last year around this time.

Two phase 1 clinical trials of a nasal spray containing influenza virus–specific monoclonal antibodies conclude that it’s safe—although it won’t replace flu vaccination because it stays in the nose for only a few hours, researchers say.