Georgia health officials urging flu vaccination amid ‘widespread and severe’ infections

Hospitalizations for flu spiked in the last full week of December, resulting in several deaths in Georgia and an urgent call by state health officials.

The Department of Public Health on Monday urged people to get vaccinated amid projections of more infections.

'Flu activity is widespread and severe in Georgia, and cases are likely to increase following the holidays and as Georgians return to work and school,' the agency said in a statement, adding this for people who have no medical conditions preventing vaccination: 'the Department of Public Health strongly urges you to take advantage of the health benefits the flu vaccine provides as soon as possible.'

The agency reported more than 500 hospitalizations during the week ending Dec. 27, a more than sixfold increase from the week that ended Dec. 6.

It reported seven deaths in that last full week of December.

The state warnings came as the Atlanta-based Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) on Monday reported influenza cases had increased by a third nationally for the week ending Dec. 27, with deaths up nearly 1% and one pediatric influenzaassociated death during the

2025-26 season. The CDC's acting director, Jim O'Neill, on Monday, also revised recommendations for pediatric vaccinations, including for flu. The federal government previously recommended annual vaccination for children over six months old, but O'Neill changed that blanket advice slightly, advising medical consultation first.

His memo to other federal agencies Monday said the flu vaccine 'should not be recommended for all children,' but it should be available through insurance to those over six months old 'through shared-clinical decision making.'