Influenza season in the United States typically runs from October through May, affecting people of all ages. The illness is spread by respiratory droplets when an infected person speaks, sneezes, or coughs. Health officials note that vigilance is important as flu cases increase.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that flu cases reached their highest levels in 15 years in February 2025. Additionally, fewer adults and children are receiving the flu vaccine each year.
Dr. George Rust, director of Florida State University’s Center for Medicine and Public Health, is available to provide expert analysis on the current flu season. Dr. Rust is board-certified in family practice and preventive medicine and serves as medical director for six local county public health departments.
Dr. Rust explained that Florida’s peak flu season tends to occur later than in northern states but still falls mainly during winter months. He said, “In Florida, our flu season will peak a little later than it does up North, but you can still think of mid-December through mid-February as the season when we’ll see the most cases.” He added, “It takes two weeks for the flu shot to give full protection, but that protection can wane a bit after many months.”
He recommends getting vaccinated before holiday gatherings: “I would try to get a flu shot October through November, at least two weeks before any family or holiday gatherings.”
When asked about symptoms that should prompt a visit to a doctor rather than home care, Dr. Rust advised: “If it’s a cold, just stay home. Don’t go to school or work and infect everyone else, even if you think you can power through. If it’s the flu, you may still be able to ride it out if you’re younger and don’t have medical conditions that would make you more vulnerable. You can just take acetaminophen or ibuprofen (avoid aspirin for children or youth) and drink lots of fluids. My mom would have recommended chicken soup, so that’s on my list. But if you have complicating medical conditions that make you more vulnerable to infections or pneumonia, then it’s a good idea to at least call your physician’s office. They might recommend coming in the office for a rapid flu test, or they may want to prescribe an anti-viral treatment like oseltamivir, often sold as Tamiflu. Antiviral treatments work best for flu when you start within the first 48 hours of symptoms, so don’t wait.”
He also noted signs requiring immediate attention: “If you do try to just take care of yourself at home,you should call your doctor or get checked out if you begin having trouble breathing, chest pain,dizziness or clouded thinking ,or if you have signs of dehydration like not producing urine for more than 3-4 hours.Or if you were getting better,and then suddenly fever and cough or shortness of breath return;that could be a secondary pneumonia.”
On distinguishing between colds and influenza symptoms Dr.Rust said,“The first question for most people is,’Do I just have a cold ,or is it the flu(or something else)?’A cold may have a lot of sneezing ,runny nose,cough and even a mild fever.Influenza(flu)will typically make people feel worse.There may still be cough or runny nose,but people feel achy all over and so tired they don’t want to get out of bed.They have a cough and often higher fevers.The CDC has a nice table comparing colds vs flu on their website.”
To reduce risk,Rust recommends annual vaccination along with healthy habits.“First,get the flu shot every year.It really is your best protection.There’s nothing better than eating healthy ,exercising regularly ,getting good sleep,and building your stress capacity(through meditation,music,yoga,nature walks,etc.).Take care of yourself.Also ,be disciplined about washing your hands frequently ,especially after being with other people.You may want to carry a small bottle of hand sanitizer.If your immune system is suppressed from cancer therapy or other conditions,you may want to limit exposure to holiday gatherings.If you have to go ,protect yourself with a well-fitted N-95 mask.”
For those unsure whether symptoms indicate COVID-19,the common cold ,or influenza,Rust noted,“To distinguish COVID from flu ,there are rapid diagnostic tests that can be run on a nasal swab or throat swab.Some doctors’ offices do these routinely ,while others rely just on the clinician’s clinical judgment.”
Media seeking further comment from Dr.Rust can contact him directly at george.rust@med.fsu.edu.
