By Katherine Tinsley
10:45am PST, Feb 12, 2025
According to California's State Department, 2 percent of deaths within the state were flu-related.
However, experts noted that the rise in people choosing not to get vaccinated could be a contributing factor.
One medical professional was shocked by the infection rates.
"This may become the worst influenza season we've had so far in the 21st century," Dr. John Swartzberg, who works at UC Berkeley Public Health, told Newsweek.
During the pandemic, medical centers prioritized reducing the spread of COVID-19, but now, they are witnessing influenza taking over.
"We're seeing the same thing here in Sacramento. We're seeing increasing rates of influenza," Dr. Dean Blumberg, who is a professor and chief of Pediatric Infectious Diseases at UC Davis Health, told ABC 10.
Despite the flu being common, it can be fatal in some instances.
"There's a lot of outpatient visits, emergency department visits, and then, unfortunately, some children being hospitalized with complications of influenza," Blumberg shared.
While many parents worry about their kids getting the flu, it's common for children to stay home if they're infected.
"Schools have really excellent policies to encourage students to stay home if they are sick and potentially infectious to others," Blumberg noted. "So what I would encourage parents (to do is) follow their school policies on that."
As anti-vax movements become more and more popular, fewer people are taking the recommended precautions.
"We certainly do recommend [the] influenza vaccine for everybody six months of age and older, but vaccination rates have stalled," Blumberg revealed.
"They tend to be around 40 or 50 percent, and we'd certainly like it higher than that," he added.
