Look South for Flu Season Clues

Even though we cannot predict what will happen in the United States this upcoming flu season, by examining trends observed in the Southern Hemisphere this past season, we can gain valuable insights into what activity might occur during the forthcoming 2024-2025 Northern Hemisphere flu season.

The WHO's Global Respiratory Virus Activity Weekly Update N° 489 was posted on August 11, 2024, confirming in the Southern hemisphere, influenza activity remained elevated in countries in South America (due to influenza A(H3N2) and B viruses), Eastern Africa (due to A(H1N1)pdm09 viruses), Southern Africa (due to B viruses), and Oceania (due to A(H3N2) viruses). 

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), on August 26, 2024, during the 2024 Southern Hemisphere flu season, most countries experienced similar levels of flu activity compared to trends observed in prior seasons (2017‒2019 and 2022‒2023 flu seasons).

However, South American and Southern African countries experienced high influenza virus detection levels.

"Vaccination remains the best defense against flu, and even if vaccination does not entirely prevent the risk of flu, it can help reduce the severity of flu illness in people who get flu despite being vaccinated," the CDC wrote. 

"In the U.S., September and October are generally good times to be vaccinated against flu."

As of late August 2024, various influenza vaccines are available at health clinics and pharmacies in the U.S.