Louisiana's currently a flu hot spot
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Flu activity on a state-by-state basis. Image: CDC
Flu season is ramping up in Louisiana, which has some of the highest flu activity in the country, according to the latest CDC data.
Why it matters: If you're thinking about getting your flu shot, health experts say it's time to roll up your sleeve.
The big picture: Louisiana had moderate flu activity as of Oct. 17, while the rest of the country mostly reported minimal and low activity.
- Hawaii was the only other state with moderate activity, the CDC says.
- Louisiana had an 8.3% positivity rate for the flu, compared with a 5.7% national average.
- Emergency room visits related to respiratory illness are on the rise in Louisiana, the state health department says.
Zoom out: Nationally, early signs suggest flu season is starting sooner than in recent years.
- About 3.6% of flu tests came back positive in early October, compared with just 0.6% at the same point last year, according to CDC data.
- Additional data, including outpatient reports, suggest flu activity is on the rise.
- The highest percentages of medical visits for flu-like illness are in children.
Zoom in: RSV activity remains very low in most of the country, while COVID activity is still elevated in some regions but declining nationally, per the CDC.
What they're saying: "'Get your flu shot now' is my best advice," Trish Perl, a professor of infectious diseases and epidemiology at UT Southwestern, tells Axios.
- It generally takes up to two weeks after vaccination for the immune system to develop maximum immune response.
The intrigue: This season, the new U.S.-approved mRNA flu vaccine is available to adults 50 and older.
- The move comes as the Trump administration has reshaped federal vaccine policy and put greater emphasis on vaccine safety and injury reporting.
- Yes, but: Serious reactions caused by vaccines are rare, and a health problem reported after vaccination does not necessarily mean the vaccine caused it, the CDC has said.