What to Expect for the Upcoming Cold and Flu Season
To help forecast what cold and flu season might look like in the U.S., we can look to countries in the southern hemisphere, such as Australia, where the season hits first. In Australia, early reports suggest the flu virus may be milder this year, though certain age groups remain at higher risk. Meanwhile, experts in the U.S. predict a peak around New Year’s Day, similar to last year. Hospitals here could face additional challenges as flu season overlaps with COVID-19 and other respiratory illnesses, making it crucial to focus on stopping the spread in schools, workplaces, and healthcare settings.
The CDC expects hospitalization rates to mirror last year’s numbers. The new flu vaccine offers protection against the main strains, but with many people still hesitant to get vaccinated, the number of those getting the shot might fall short.
To fight back, the CDC is reminding everyone of the basics: stay home when you’re sick, clean and disinfect surfaces regularly, and improve ventilation to keep indoor air fresh and clean. It’s a simple plan, but in a season where so much is uncertain, these steps could make all the difference.
Respiratory Illness Seasonal Update #5 (11/14/2024)
| Status (activity) | LOW |
| Headline | Flu and RSV activity remains low nationally and COVID rates have declined from the summer spike, however the rates of a few other respiratory pathogens (pertussis and mycoplasma pneumoniae) have increased significantly. Forecast: CDC expects similar or lower number of combined peak hospitalizations due to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV compared to last season. |
| Supporting Stats (Respiratory illness season starts when we cross the 3% mark) | • Doctor’s office visits for symptoms of respiratory illness (fever and cough or sore throat) remain low but continue to trend upward (2.4% compared to 2.1% in previous weeks).1 • Influenza ("flu") activity continues to be minimal (test positivity rate 1.3%) but increasing across the US except for Washington DC where influenza rates are high.2 • RSV activity remains low but is trending upward with positivity rate approaching the 3% threshold at 2.53%. ED visits are increasing in the southern, southeastern, and mid-Atlantic U.S.2,3 • Covid-19 activity is stable or declining in most areas. While now endemic, has not settled in terms of seasonality although we have been seeing winter spikes as well as at other times of the year (such as this past summer).3,4 • Pertussis activity has seen a nearly 5-fold increase in cases compared to this time last year. Epidemics are cyclical with larger outbreaks reported every three to five years. 2019 marked the last major epidemic.5 PPR rating=medium • Mycoplasma pneumoniae cases (the causative agent for “walking pneumonia”) have remained high since cases began increasing last Spring.6 PPR rating=medium |
| Upcoming CPro Plans | • Respiratory pathogen social posts in December and January • Continue paid and owned C&F media campaigns • January-Cold and Flu webinar #2 (with Saskia Popescu) + school wellness toolkit |
| Next Report | Dec. 6 |
- CDC. FluView. Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 11]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/
- CDC. NREVSS Respiratory Dashboard [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 11]. Available from: Power BI Report
- CDC. Respiratory Illnesses Data Channel [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 11]. Available from: https://www.cdc.gov/respiratory-viruses/data/index.html
- CDC. COVID-19 can surge throughout the year [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 11]. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/covid-19-can-surge-throughout-the-year.html
- CIDRAP. CDC tracks rise in pertussis activity [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 11]. Available from https://www.cidrap.umn.edu/pertussis/cdc-tracks-rise-pertussis-activity
- CDC. Mycoplasma Pneumoniae Infections Have Been Increasing [Internet]. 2024 [cited 2024 Nov 11]. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/ncird/whats-new/mycoplasma-pneumoniae-infections-have-been-increasing.html
Understanding Respiratory Illnesses: Is it a Cold, RSV, Flu or COVID-19?
When there are several respiratory illnesses going around, it can be hard to tell them apart. Here’s what you need to know about the common cold, RSV, flu, and COVID-19 viruses.
| Common Cold | RSV | Influenza (Flu) | COVID-19 | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| What’s the cause? | Mostly commonly caused by rhinoviruses, but other viruses like parainfluenza and seasonal coronaviruses can cause it, too. | Caused by the Respiratory Syncytial Virus that mainly affects the lungs and breathing passages | Caused by types A and B Influenza viruses | Caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus |
| What are common symptoms? | Gradual symptoms like sneezing, stuffy nose, mild chest discomfort, and a sore throat | Symptoms appear in stages, starting with a runny nose and loss of appetite, followed by coughing, sneezing, fever, and wheezing. In babies, it might just be irritability, decreased activity, or trouble breathing | Symptoms hit fast and include fever, chills, body aches, fatigue, and a cough | Symptoms vary from none to severe, including fever, cough, shortness of breath, and loss of taste or smell |
| How does it spread? | Exposure to respiratory droplets or contaminated surfaces | Exposure to respiratory droplets or contaminated surfaces | Exposure to respiratory droplets or contaminated surfaces | Exposure to small respiratory droplets or particles |
| When do symptoms appear? | 2 days after exposure | 4 to 6 days after exposure | 1 to 4 days after exposure | 2 to 14 days after exposure |
| How long is a sick person contagious? | 24 hours before symptoms start and up to 5 days after | 3 to 8 days, but some people can be contagious for up to 4 weeks | 1 day before symptoms appear and up to 7 days after | 2 days before symptoms start and for about 10 days after, even if you don’t feel sick |
| How long can the virus survive on surfaces? | 2 hours to 7 days | Up to 8 hours | 2 hours to several weeks | 4 hours to 8 days |
Pathogen Education Sheets
- Respiratory Pathogens: Is it a Cold, RSV, Influenza or COVID-19?
- SARs-CoV-2 (COVID) Pathogen Education Sheet
- Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) Pathogen Education Sheet
- Influenza Pathogen Education Sheet
- Rhinovirus (Cold Virus) Pathogen Education Sheet
Remember to follow CDC’s vaccine recommendations, wash your hands regularly, avoid touching your face with dirty hands, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, stay home when you’re sick, and frequently clean and disinfect high-touch surfaces.
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Influenza (Flu) [Internet]. [Cited 2023 May 31]. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/flu/index.htm
- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. Common Colds: Protect Yourself and Others [Internet]. [Cited 2023 May 31]. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/features/rhinoviruses/index.html
- Heymann DL. Control of Communicable Diseases Manual. 19th edition. Washington, DC: American Public Health Association; 2008. 516-517 p.
- Wissmann JE et al. Persistence of Pathogens in Inanimate Surfaces: A Narrative Review. Microorganisms. 2021 Feb 9;9(2):343.
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) [Internet]. [Cited 2023 May 31]. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/rsv/index.html
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. About COVID-19 [Internet]. [Cited 2023 May 31]. Available from https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/your-health/about-covid-19.html
- Compiled by Doe Kley, RN, MPH, CIC, T-CHEST, Sr. Infection Preventionist, Clorox Healthcare
- An RSV vaccine has been approved by the FDA for individuals 60 years of age and older, and for pregnant women to protect newborns. An RSV vaccine for the general public, including infants and children, is not available at this time. There is a monoclonal antibody treatment administered monthly during the RSV season to high-risk infants.
Calendar of Events
Webinar 1: Say Boo to the Flu: Preventing Respiratory Germs from Haunting Shared Spaces
Date: October 28, 2024, 11:00 am PDT
Join our cold & flu webinar on October 28 at 11:00 am PDT to hear from infection prevention experts about seasonal illness predictions, learn best practices, and get a chance to win free Clorox products!*
- NO PURCHASE NECESSARY. Legal residents of The United States (+D.C.) 18 years and older. Void where prohibited. Ends 10/28/2024. To play and for Official Rules, including odds, alternate method of entry, and prize descriptions visit: Clorox Cold and Flu Webinar Giveaways Official Rules.
Webinar 2: Stay tuned for a January webinar during peak cold and flu season.
Product Solutions
CloroxPro offers cleaning and disinfecting solutions to help you stop the spread of respiratory illness-causing viruses in your facility.
| PRODUCT | PRODUCT IMAGE | EPA REG. NO. | Common Cold | RSV | Influenza | COVID-19 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clorox EcoClean™ Disinfecting Cleaner and Refill |  | 67619-45 | 30 seconds (Rhinovirus) | 30 seconds | 30 seconds | 30 seconds |
| Clorox EcoClean™ Disinfecting Cleaner Wipes |  | 67619-48 | 5 minutes (Rhinovirus) | 5 minutes | 5 minutes | 5 minutes |
| Clorox® Disinfecting Wipes |  | 67619-31 | 15 seconds (Rhinovirus) | 15 seconds | 15 seconds | 15 seconds |
| Pine-Sol® Multi-Surface Cleaner and Disinfectant |  | 5813-135-676 | 10 minutes (Rhinovirus) | 10 minutes | 10 minutes | 10 minutes |
1. Per EPA approved Master Label and when following product directions for use. Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Influenza A H1N1 Virus, SARS-CoV-2 (cause of COVID-19)