Flu season has arrived in North Texas. Here’s what to know to stay healthy.
.png "Flu season is in full swing in North Texas. Local doctors expect the season to peak in late January or early February.")
Flu season is officially here, and it’s sending hundreds of North Texans to the doctor.
“I would say we’re in the full swing of respiratory viral season at this point,” said Dr. Minji Kang, an infectious diseases doctor at UT Southwestern Medical Center.
Cases of influenza, COVID-19 and respiratory syncytial virus are increasing nationwide and in Texas, according to local doctors and hospital data.
The share of Texans hospitalized with the flu increased almost 74% during the week of Christmas, compared to the week prior, according to the most recent data. The increase was largest in adults age 65 and older, according to the data.
Cases of COVID-19 and RSV are also increasing, although the steepest rise is in the flu, according to state data. New cases of RSV are primarily affecting infants and those under 4. For COVID-19, adults age 65 and older were going to the hospital for care at the highest rates, according to state data.
Seeing increases of respiratory viruses in early January is par for the course during most winters, Kang said.
“This is what we would be expecting,” she said.
Dr. Nikhil Bhayani, a doctor with Texas Health Resources, agreed.
“This trajectory is not out of the norm,” said Bhayani, who is an infection prevention and epidemiology physician adviser at THR.
In addition to the standard advice — wash your hands well, and stay home from work or school when you’re sick — the best step to prevent getting sick is to get an RSV vaccine if you are eligible, and to get seasonal flu and COVID shots.
“The biggest thing is always vaccination,” Kang said, adding that it’s not too late in the season to get either a flu or COVID-19 vaccine.
This story was originally published January 3, 2025 at 1:31 PM.
