Health officials issue urgent warning about lurking threat in this year's flu season: 'More severe than typical'

An old nemesis, the flu virus, is set to rear its ugly head this holiday season with a new and particularly contagious strain.

What's happening?

National Geographic reported on the worrisome genetic changes in this year's flu virus that could lead to a significant outbreak.

"We will have a significant flu season this year, and we have a lot of concern that it's going to be more severe than typical," Richard Martinello, an infectious diseases specialist at Yale Medicine, said.

Danuta Skowronski, a flu researcher at the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control, picked up on the concerning aspects of this year's flu strain as part of a study. The significant genetic changes are making it harder for antibodies to recognize it and easier for it to infect and spread among people.

Evidence of its contagiousness exists in the Southern Hemisphere, where winter (and flu season) occurs in our summer. Australia and Brazil have already seen record case numbers or major increases in severe flu diagnoses from last year. 

This version of the virus, known as subclade K, has spread rapidly and is expected to dominate during the holidays. Already, it's hit the United Kingdom months ahead of schedule and is creeping upward in the U.S. when measured by doctor visits.

Making matters worse, the current vaccine edition is a mismatch of the circulating strain. Considering the vaccine is set almost a year in advance, that is always a possibility. Still, it bodes poorly given the virus's changes.

Why is the concerning news about the flu season important?

The flu can pose severe risks, especially for children, pregnant women, and those 65 and older. As its threat looms, global travel accelerates how diseases spread and is magnified in peak times like the holiday season, when people gather in close proximity.

Even with the vaccine mismatch, experts speaking to National Geographic stressed the importance of vaccination. Recipients of the flu shot in the Southern Hemisphere were just under 50% less likely to face hospitalization, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention analysis. That illustrates that imperfect vaccines can still help.

Despite that, a significant portion of Americans, including children and those over 65, remain unvaccinated. Vaccine hesitancy fueled by misinformation could specifically be a culprit. Just 36% of U.S. children have gotten the shot, which is a 23% drop from rates in the 1970s. That still tops the 13% uptake rate of adults over 65.

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What's being done about the resurgent flu virus?

Getting the vaccine is the first thing you can do to stem the severity of the flu. Preventive actions, such as staying home when sick or wearing a mask, can also help. Martinello noted that many sick people assume that the flu is just a cold. 

It's better not to make that assumption and instead get clarity. Flu mutations do not affect the effectiveness of antiviral drugs, so consulting a doctor early can be beneficial.

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