Central Oregon health officials urge early preparation for upcoming flu season

(Update: adding video, comments from Deschutes County Health Services & St. Charles Health System)

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ) -- Flu activity is beginning to increase in Central Oregon as students return to classrooms and colder weather brings more people indoors.

Dr. Cynthia Maree, medical director of infection prevention for St. Charles Health System, said the health system is already seeing early flu activity.

Based partly on trends in the Southern Hemisphere, she expects the coming season could be moderate.

“We’re already starting to see some flu numbers, so we know that it’s starting to rise already,” Dr. Maree said. “That’s pretty much on schedule.”

Health officials often look to countries such as Australia, where winter occurs during the Northern Hemisphere’s summer, for clues about what the United States could experience. 

Dr. Maree cautioned, however, that the comparison is not always exact.

“We never have that crystal ball,” she said. “Trying to predict a flu season is very difficult.”

During the 2025-26 season, participating Central Oregon laboratories reported 2,283 positive flu tests through early April, representing 16% of the tests reported, according to a Central Oregon Public Health report⁠.

The vaccine has also been updated for the 2026-27 season.

Federal health officials changed all three virus components, including the component targeting H3N2. That strain accounted for nearly 70% of positive flu samples typed by the Oregon State Public Health Laboratory last season, according to the Oregon Health Authority⁠.

Sarah Van Meter, immunization program coordinator for Deschutes County Health Services, said the vaccine may not prevent every infection, but it can reduce the risk of severe illness.

“The flu vaccine isn’t keeping you from getting the flu, period, full stop,” Van Meter said. “It’s keeping you from possibly worse illness. It’s keeping you from urgent care visits, from emergency department visits, from being hospitalized.”

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention⁠ recommends an annual flu vaccine for nearly everyone 6 months and older. 

September and October are generally considered the best times to receive it, with vaccination ideally completed by the end of October. It takes about two weeks for protection to develop.

“Any time is a good time to get a flu vaccine,” Van Meter said. “If it’s more effective for you to get it while you’re thinking about it, while you’re at the grocery store and they have a walk-in flu clinic, just get it.”

Dr. Maree said flu symptoms can be difficult to distinguish from COVID-19 or a common cold, although influenza often begins more suddenly and severely.

“The flu feels like a Mack truck hit you,” Dr. Maree said. “It’s a severe fever right at the beginning, and it can be a lot of those aches and body aches.”

At-home combination tests can detect influenza and COVID-19. Dr. Maree said testing can be especially important for people at greater risk of serious illness who may benefit from antiviral treatment.

Flu antiviral medications work best when started within two days of symptoms beginning, although treatment may still help high-risk or severely ill patients when started later.

Those at higher risk include adults 65 and older, young children, pregnant people, and people with conditions such as diabetes or chronic lung disease.

People should seek medical attention if they are having difficulty breathing, experiencing significant shortness of breath, or continuing to have severe symptoms for more than a week, Dr. Maree said.

“If you’re really short of breath, having trouble breathing, or the flu symptoms last over a week with severity, you would want to get medical attention,” she said.

Health officials also recommend frequent handwashing, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when sick. 

Dr. Maree said people should remain home until they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and their symptoms are improving.

People who do not have insurance or are unsure where to receive a vaccine can contact their local public health department for help finding available services.