Dec 13, 2025 – The U.S. flu season kicks off early as the H3N2 subclade K variant dominates, pushing doctor‑visit rates for fever with cough or sore throat to 3.2 % and crossing the epidemic threshold; the first pediatric flu death of the season occurs, and CDC virologist Tim Uyeki urges vaccination despite the strain’s mismatch with this year’s vaccine [5].

Dec 20, 2025 – Flu, norovirus and COVID‑19 cases surge ahead of the busiest holiday travel week on record (≈122 million travelers), with CDC reporting ≈4.6 million flu cases, 49 000 hospitalizations and 1 900 deaths; subclade K accounts for about 89 % of H3N2 infections, prompting officials to stress masking, hand‑washing and vaccination [8].

Dec 30, 2025 – CDC data show flu‑positive lab tests jump 25.6 % in one week and healthcare visits for respiratory illness rise 6 %; Colorado, Louisiana, South Carolina, New York and New Jersey register “very high” activity, while five pediatric flu deaths bring the season total to eight, underscoring the virulence of subclade K and low vaccination coverage [7].

Jan 5, 2026 – Flu activity reaches a 25‑year high nationwide as almost every state reports high or very high levels; CDC surveillance records 8.2 % of outpatient visits for flu‑like illness, and Dr. Caitlin Rivers calls it “the worst in at least 20 years” while noting subclade K’s reduced vaccine effectiveness [4].

Jan 5, 2026 – The CDC and HHS announce they will no longer recommend universal flu shots for children, shifting the decision to parents and clinicians; Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. declares “That practice ends now,” sparking criticism that dropping Medicaid immunization reporting will erase a key data source [11][15].

Jan 5, 2026 – Massachusetts Public Health Commissioner Dr. Robbie Goldstein urges residents to vaccinate amid the surge, emphasizing that vaccines “prevent severe illness and hospitalizations” even as subclade K spreads [4].

Jan 6, 2026 – CDC flags 19 states at the highest influenza tier (Level 13) and 30 states in the “very high” bracket, with experts linking the rapid rise to subclade K, colder weather, holiday gatherings and historically low vaccination rates, and warning of a “super flu” that causes longer recoveries [6].

Jan 7, 2026 – U.S. flu activity hits the highest level in more than 25 years based on doctor visits for fever, sore throat or cough; CNN invites sick readers to share personal stories, highlighting the human impact behind the clinical surge [3].

Jan 9, 2026 – A record flu week drives hospitalizations to ≈40 000 (≈12 per 100 000), with pediatric deaths climbing to at least 17; CDC notes only ~130 million vaccine doses are distributed, covering less than 40 % of the population, and releases new guidance emphasizing shared decision‑making for childhood vaccination [2].

Jan 9, 2026 – Flu infections edge down slightly as outpatient visits for flu‑like illness decline modestly; >91 % of H3N2 samples belong to subclade K, and CDC stops recommending routine flu shots for children, advising parents to consult doctors [10].

Jan 12, 2026 – CDC reports >15 million flu cases, >180 000 hospitalizations and ≈7 400 deaths, with child hospitalizations the second‑highest in a 15‑year span; Dr. Parissa Rabbinafard notes A(H3N2) subclade K drives the “super flu” surge and urges vaccination while the virus circulates [12][13].

Jan 12, 2026 – Arctic air blasts sweep the eastern U.S., pushing people indoors where cold, dry conditions prolong viral survival; CDC data still show high or very high activity in 44 states, ≈40 000 hospital admissions in the week ending Jan 3, and eight pediatric deaths, reinforcing the call to vaccinate now [13][14].

Jan 16, 2026 – Flu activity declines for a second straight week as high‑activity states drop from 44 to 36; CDC characterizes the season as moderate but warns of possible later surges, estimating 18 million illnesses, 230 000 hospitalizations and 9 300 deaths, with ≈90 % of known cases unvaccinated [9].

Feb 20, 2026 – CDC Flu Tracking records the highest rate of doctor visits for flu‑like symptoms since national surveillance began in 1997, estimating that 8 % of Americans contract flu each season; children bear the highest infection rates while seniors and toddlers face the greatest complication risk, and hundreds of thousands are hospitalized annually [1].