As flu cases rise earlier than usual in some Western states, Virginia health officials are urging residents to get vaccinated.
Dr. Cameron Webb, the state health commissioner, received his flu shot at a community event Thursday at Riverside Health in Newport News to encourage others to get vaccinated.
“This is peak time to make sure you get protected, get that flu vaccine,” Webb said in a video posted on social media from the event.
Flu infections usually peak in January or February, but some Western states are already experiencing an early surge in cases. A roundup of headlines from KFF, a nonprofit health policy and news organization, found that California, Washington, Hawaii and Alaska were reporting increases several weeks earlier than usual.
Respiratory virus activity remains low across Virginia, though infections may be trending upward, according to the state’s respiratory illness dashboard. In the week ending Oct. 3, about 318 cases were reported to the state.
Typically, the Virginia Department of Health advises getting the shot at the end of October. However, the early flu activity out West could indicate a severe season and may be a reason to get vaccinated sooner, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges.
The Health Department recommends “everyone 6 months and older, with rare exceptions, should get a flu shot every season.”
Several leading medical organizations have also issued recommendations for fall vaccinations. Their guidance includes flu vaccination during pregnancy and recommends that adults 65 and older ask their health care providers about higher-dose flu vaccines or other options appropriate for their age group.
These organizations include the American Association of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, the American Medical Association and the Infectious Diseases Society of America.
Flu shot uptake remains low
The flu vaccine is updated every year for two reasons. First, immunity from vaccination wears off over time, making annual vaccination important for maintaining protection. Second, flu viruses constantly change, so experts review and update the vaccine’s formulation every year to target the strains expected to circulate.
This year, the updated flu vaccine includes protection against three strains of flu virus, including two influenza A viruses and an influenza B/Victoria virus. One of the influenza A strains circulated widely during the 2025-26 season.
As of Friday, 9.9% of Virginia residents had received a flu vaccine for the 2026–27 season, according to state data.
Vaccination rates typically rise as the season progresses. By the end of October last year, about 20% of Virginia’s population had received a flu shot. That figure rose to 26% by the end of November and about 31% by February.
In many counties in far Southwest and Southside Virginia, about 3% to 6% of residents had received a flu shot as of Friday. Buchanan County had the lowest vaccination rate in the state, at 2.8%.
While millions of people get the flu every year and most recover, others develop serious complications that can lead to death, according to Cleveland Clinic. Young children and older adults face a higher risk of severe illness.
During the 2025-26 season, Virginia reported that two children died from complications from influenza, according to a news release from the Cumberland Plateau and LENOWISCO health districts. More than 80,000 Virginians were hospitalized.
“Getting a flu vaccine as soon as it becomes available is one of the simplest and most effective steps people can take to protect themselves, their families and their community during flu season,” Michelle McPheron, nurse manager for Cumberland Plateau and LENOWISCO Health Districts, said in the release. “Vaccination helps reduce the risk of serious illness, missed work and school, and strain on local healthcare services.”
Federal advisory panel for vaccines hasn’t met this year
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention continues to issue vaccine guidance, but unlike in previous years, the agency has not updated recommendations for the 2026-27 respiratory virus season, according to the American Association of Medical Colleges.
Most insurers have committed to covering flu shots through the end of 2027, despite changing federal guidance, according to America’s Health Insurance Plans, the national trade association for the health insurance industry in the U.S.
The CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices advises the agency on vaccine recommendations. The committee has been unable to meet in 2026 amid ongoing litigation over its membership and changes to federal vaccine policy.
In July 2025, the American Academy of Pediatrics and other medical groups sued Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. after he replaced the committee’s expert members. The groups later amended their lawsuit to challenge the administration’s overhaul of the childhood immunization schedule, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics.
Existing recommendations remain in effect.
