New Year’s resolutions weren’t the only thing the U.S. entered 2026 with…

According to the CDC, America is facing its worst flu season in 25 years, with estimates that as of Jan. 3, there have been at least 15 million illnesses, 180,000 hospitalizations, and 7,400 deaths.

Is the issue that people aren’t getting vaccinated? Why is influenza so bad this year?

People not getting vaccinated definitely could have something to do with the brutality of the virus, but not the contraction rates. Subclade K mutations allow the flu to evade some of the flu vaccine’s protection, so its effectiveness is not as strong.

“I had the flu shot, and I think it helped with the severity, but I still got the flu. I was diagnosed with Influenza A, and it was the worst week of my life. It felt extra bad this year, because I lost my voice for 4 weeks and did not feel healthy long after the virus had passed,” Fionnoula Walsh ‘26 said.

The childhood vaccination rates have steadily declined as years have gone on.

“The flu was one of my lowest lows, and I have never felt less energetic. I did not have the flu shot so that could have a part in it,” Will Dever ‘27 said.  “The flu seemed worse this year because of how much it spread and how terrible the effects were; it seemed more severe than previous years,” Dever continued.

Ultimately, the main culprit for this rampant flu season is the strain of the virus. This year, the specific flu strain is more severe than others, which is hard to vaccinate for and also to fight. 

To stay clear of the flu this year, you should stay clean and try to get the flu shot if you haven’t already, since it can help manage the severity. Stay safe, East, and wash your hands!