Flu activity in Tennessee among highest in nation

NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WSMV) - Tennessee is among two other states in the country and Washington, DC, with the highest amount of flu activity, according to the CDC.

“We are kind of the first wave of this before the rest of the country,” Vanderbilt University Medical Center Dr. Todd Rice said.

Tennessee’s flu season started in October this year, a few months ahead of schedule.

“A little bit earlier than usual,” Rice said. “It is in the window when we are worried that we could start to see it. Usually, we kind of see it more in December or January.”

The latest CDC map shows Tennessee, Alabama, South Carolina and Washington, DC, have the highest flu activity nationwide, classified as “very high.” It is an increase for Tennessee from the previous week of data which classified Tennessee’s flu activity as “high.”

Rice said flu is geographical and started in the southeast this year.

He said we are seeing many more cases earlier this year compared to the last couple of years when people were social distancing more.

“People were staying more at home, not going out or making when they went out,” Rice said. “That decreases the transmission of COVID but also decreases the transmission of influenza.”

Rice said most people coming into their clinics are not vaccinated against the flu. He encourages people to get vaccinated, especially before the winter holidays when many are gathering indoors.

“We kind of anticipate over Thanksgiving and Christmas to see an uptick in respiratory viruses,” Rice said.

Free drive-thru flu shots were available Wednesday at several locations across Nashville until 6 p.m.

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