Experts offer advice for this year’s flu season

They explain when to get a flu shot, how severe the flu season could be and more.

By HALEY MORELAND
TribLive

At the University of Pittsburgh’s Vaccination and Health Hub in Oakland, students are already preparing for the cold and flu season.

“We vaccinate students, faculty, staff and the general community,” said Kate Brownlee, executive director of the Hub.

What started in 2020 as a site meant to administer the covid-19 vaccine has grown into a center where students can better protect themselves against respiratory illnesses.

Located on Fifth Avenue, the Hub is participating in the first Pennsylvania College and University Flu Challenge, which the Pennsylvania Department of Health launched in anticipation of this year’s cold and flu season, Brownlee said.

The Hub received its first shipment of the flu vaccine at the beginning of the month, and its student clinicians have started administering doses to their classmates.

As fall begins, Brownlee and other health experts are echoing the advice of state and local officials. Public agencies reset the flu statistical clock to zero in October, when the new influenza season begins.

“Get vaccinated,” Brownlee said. But when is the right time to get a flu shot? Where should people go, and is it free? How severe could this flu season be, and what should someone do if they get sick?

How bad will flu season be?

Neil Ruhland, a spokesman for the Pennsylvania Department of Health, said predicting the severity of flu season is challenging.

“Because seasonal influenza is driven by viral mutations and changing personal habits, predicting the exact course of any flu season is difficult,” Ruhland said.

Dr. Brian Lamb, an internal medicine doctor at Allegheny Health Network, said it is too early to tell how severe the flu season will be this year.

“We don’t have the signs yet,” Lamb said. “What we worry about is last year we saw very dismal rates for vaccination, and we worry that we’re going to see the same poor rates of vaccinations.”

Cases of influenza virus are up since this time last year from 204 cases to 303 cases, according to data from the Pennsylvania Department of Health.

The Allegheny County Health Department said it has confirmed 147,640 cases of influenza since last September, while data from mid-September 2026 showed 22,010 adult and 4,108 pediatric hospitalizations since this time last year.

There have been 545 flu-related deaths reported in Pennsylvania for the 2025-26 season, which ends in a week.

“We expect that influenza A (H1N1), influenza A (H3N2), and influenza B/Victoria lineage will be circulating over the next few months,” Ruhland said. “The exact dominant flu strain cannot be predicted with certainty before the season develops.”

Last year, the new flu variant subclade K swept across the United States and raised concerns about the effectiveness of the flu vaccine. Ruhland said “influenza viruses continually mutate throughout a respiratory virus season,” but he did not say they could anticipate what new mutations will come this season.

Allegheny County Health Department Medical Director Jillian Irwin said an updated vaccine protects against various strains of influenza.

“This year’s flu vaccine has been updated because the virus has changed,” Irwin said. “We should prepare ourselves in advance rather than wait for friends and family members to start getting sick.”

Although flu variants remain the same, Lamb said, they experience what is called a “genetic drift” when they circulate from person to person.

“Every time it goes into the human body, it mixes around and then you cough it up and it changes just a little bit,” Lamb said. “Imagine it like trying to make soup and everyone keeps coming into the kitchen and adding spices.”

Symptoms, treatment and prevention

Symptoms of the flu, according to Lamb, are very similar to other respiratory illnesses. If someone is not vaccinated, symptoms can be more severe.

“More severe cough, fever, muscle aches, breathing difficulties,” Lamb said. “Also, you could expect a longer course. If you’ve had the shot and develop the flu, you may have symptoms for fewer days.”

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the flu can develop without symptoms, but common signs of illness include fever or feeling feverish/chills, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, muscle or body aches, headaches and fatigue. Some people may have vomiting and diarrhea, though this is more common in children than adults. Ruhland anticipates symptoms for flu season will not change this year.

Lamb said flu testing kits are available at pharmacies, and recommended self-testing or scheduling a doctor’s appointment if symptoms develop. He also recommended over the counter medicines Robitussin, Advil, Tylenol, Flonase and Tamiflu.

“Usually, you want to start Tamiflu within 48 hours of developing the symptoms,” Lamb said. “Biggest thing I’d recommend is making sure you have the chance to rest.”

Lamb said if symptoms last for several days or hinder daily activities, people should be evaluated by a medical professional.

The state health department affirmed that getting vaccinated annually “remains the single most effective way for Pennsylvanians to protect themselves from severe illness, hospitalization and death.”

Brownlee said that, as childhood vaccination rates decline, the Hub’s mission is to support those who want to protect themselves against illness.

“Our goal is not to push vaccines on anyone,” Brownlee said. “It’s to answer people’s questions and make sure that people feel supported and cared for in whatever way that we can.”

While the statewide university vaccination effort yields no reward for the institutions involved, Brownlee said the goal is to keep people healthy.

“We’re just going to try to do the best we can to get as many people vaccinated as we can,” Brownlee said.

Brownlee recommended frequent hand-washing in the coming weeks and staying at home whenever possible if symptoms develop. She also recommended wearing masks at your discretion to prevent contracting or spreading the virus.

Getting vaccinated

Irwin said everyone 6 months and older should get a flu vaccine unless advised otherwise by their doctor.

To give the body time to build immunity before the height of flu season, Lamb and Irwin advise patients to get vaccinated between September and October.

“It takes about two weeks to get coverage from your flu shot,” Lamb said. “That two weeks is when your body is really starting to make antibodies … starting to get your defenses primed for you so that you’re ready coming into the winter season.”

Irwin added that getting vaccinated after that window closes is still “worthwhile.”

However, Lamb warned against getting the shot too early, as immunity becomes less effective over time.

“An updated flu vaccine is now available across the commonwealth,” Ruhland said.

Ruhland added that the updated vaccines were recommended by the Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, including the three primary flu strains (H1N1, H3N2, and B/Victoria).

The primary strains of the flu are determined by prior circulation of the influenza virus around the globe, and “what is expected to be circulating in the coming months,” Ruhland said.

Irwin said standard flu shots, a nasal spray for many people ages 2 through 49, and egg-free vaccines will be available this season.

“The best of these options is generally the one that is appropriate for your age and health and that you can receive on time,” Irwin said.

Adults 65 and older should ask about a high-dose or “extra- strength” flu shot, which can produce a larger immune response, Irwin added.

Brownlee recommended talking to primary care physicians and local pharmacists to find out which vaccine will be most effective.

Lamb said the mFLUSIVA vaccine, which was approved by the FDA this year for adults 50 and older, should present no problems for patients.

“They’re safe. They’re effective,” Lamb said.

Between Monday and Friday at the Hub, anyone can make an appointment or walk in to the clinic for their flu shot, which is covered under most regional insurance plans. The center is open until 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday.

If the shot is not covered, Brownlee said, patients are referred to a clinic where the shot can be administered.

At CVS, the shot is also covered by most insurance plans, but if patients pay out of pocket or through a third party, prices vary: $99 for a standard-dose flu shot and $144 for either a senior-dose shot or Flublok — a higher antigen, egg-free flu vaccine.

Irwin said the Allegheny County Health Department is also offering immunizations at the Pittsburgh clinic on First Avenue by appointment or walk-in. The department accepts most insurance plans, while out-of-pocket costs range from $32 to $76, depending on the type of vaccine administered.

Lamb said while no vaccine is “100 percent effective,” getting vaccinated ahead of flu season can dramatically reduce the severity of flu symptoms if the illness is contracted.