Colorado flu season starts early

By the numbers: Colorado's flu hospitalization rate reached 0.77 per 100,000 people the week ending Oct. 3 — more than quadruple the rate at this time last year (0.18), state data shows.

• About 3.3% of flu tests came back positive in early October.

Zoom out: The uptick follows Colorado's worst flu season on record for hospitalizations, including its most severe season for children.

• Nearly 6,000 flu hospitalizations were reported last season — the most since Colorado began tracking them in 2004.
• Roughly 1,200 were children, and eight children died.

What they're saying: "Last year's record hospitalizations were a sobering reminder of how serious the flu can be, especially for young children," state epidemiologist Rachel Herlihy said in a statement.

• Parents have a "critical window" to protect their families before flu transmission surges, she warned.

💉 Everyone 6 months and older can get an annual flu shot.

• 📍 Where: Pharmacies, doctors' offices and community health clinics.
• ⏰ When: It takes about two weeks for full protection to kick in.
• 💵 Cost: Most insurance plans, including Medicaid and CHP+, cover flu shots at no cost.
• 🆓 Uninsured? Families can find free or low-cost vaccines for children at nearly 600 locations statewide.

The big picture: Colorado isn't alone. Early CDC data suggests flu activity nationwide is picking up sooner than in recent years.