Why the flu season is so bad and how you can protect yourself - PBS NewsHour

[Rhiannon12866]

We are entering peak flu season, and a new variant known as subclade k is spreading quickly across the country, driving a sharp rise in illness and hospitalizations. Public health officials say this current wave may last for weeks to come.

William Brangham discussed the variant and what to look out for this flu season with Dr. Andrew Pekosz of Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health. - 01/02/2026.

[Skittles]

1. that fucking quack Dr Oz

calling the flu shot "controversial"

[Rhiannon12866]

2. When I saw my doctor, he recommended the flu shot, so I got it

When I was a kid, I remember getting vaccines right in school. Don't ask me what they were, but I clearly remember that everybody was getting them. And when my friend returned to college a few years back, the MMR vaccine was required before she could attend classes, so I drove her. And now these charlatans are recommending against kids getting immunized when they enter school???

[multigraincracker]

3. I had a nasty case of the flu a couple of months ago.

Had every vaccine I could get.

[Rhiannon12866]

4. During Covid I ended up in the ER (doctors' offices were shut down) as about as sick as I've ever been

And when they finally got to me (took literally hours) and tested me, I didn't have Covid, they told me it was the flu type A.

[multigraincracker]

5. I was very lucky my wife made me go to the ER

when I got sick during the first round of COVID. Gave me 3 COVID test that were negative. But they tested positive for sepsis. Good thing I got tested and treated early.

[Rhiannon12866]

7. I agree, kudos to your wife. So glad that you got treated early, everyone assumed that when you got sick

That it was Covid. I lost track of how many Covid shots I had. I never had it either *knock on wood*, but I was more than sick enough.

[multigraincracker]

10. At that time she was my RN girlfriend.

Soon became my wife. Got her on my gold standard health insurance that also helped her. 👍

[Rhiannon12866]

12. That sounds like a perfect match!

[multigraincracker]

13. Turned into it.

[Skittles]

6. I was a GI brat who sometimes went overseas

I swear it was, like, six shots.....my arm was sore for a week.

Honestly, I NOT get why they're doing this except as a red meat campaign issue for their ignorant base (us against them).....they keep coming up with new stuff to politicize - guns, abortion, climate change, a VIRUS, vaccinations, etc

[Rhiannon12866]

14. When they came out against vaccines, all I could think that this was another way to kill us off..

[Skittles]

15. but it doesn't just kill the libs

viruses aren't very discriminating

[littlemissmartypants]

8. The sickest I can remember being was with the flu. ...

I lost close to fifteen pounds vomiting and.... you know. I had just started my first job after grad school.

I was crying for my mother I was so sick. I was delirious and all alone in a new place, knew no one and it was really scary.

After I found out that I had the flu, I made a point to get a flu shot every year after.

[Rhiannon12866]

9. Oh, I am so sorry! That sounds so awful!

And I'm the same, my doctor said that I should get the RSV vaccine so the last time I picked up my prescription at the pharmacy, I told them I'd get it next week. Whenever I pick up a prescription they let me know what vaccines I might need, and I'm grateful.

[littlemissmartypants]

11. It was, Rhi. I was really scared.

[Rhiannon12866]

18. That really does sound frightening. I only wish that I knew you then

Seems like every time I went to a new school - I went to boarding school and then college - I spent a lot of time in the infirmary. We could have been roomies...

[littlemissmartypants]

19. Awe! I would have loved that! 😍

[samplegirl]

16. I get so scared when I read

about these flu variants. I can't take any of the shots except the Covid shot which I have.
I had Guillain Barre when I was younger so no shots for me.
Scary!

[Rhiannon12866]

17. Oh, yikes! Please take care of yourself!

And from what I've read, the flu shots don't necessarily keep up with the latest variants.