Flu Cases Drop After Peaking to All Time High But Danger Remains

It’s peak flu season in New York City, and while cases have declined in recent weeks, city health officials warn that now is not the time for New Yorkers to let their guard down, as the vaccination rate among children in the city has decreased and federal vaccination guidelines see unprecedented changes.

There were more than 32,000 positive flu cases in the city during the week ending on Dec. 20, the highest weekly total the city’s health department has reported since 2005, the first year the state made flu cases reportable. Over 128,000 New Yorkers have tested positive for the flu this season, as of the week ending on Jan. 3. This flu surge comes as viruses such as RSV and COVID also circulate at high levels and as federal health officials upend long-held vaccine guidance for children, including the flu vaccine, by shortening the list of recommendations. New York City Acting Health Commissioner and Chief Medical Officer Dr. Michelle Morse, who has remained from the previous mayoral administration, at a press conference on Jan. 8, affirmed the city’s vaccine recommendations, which contradict federal guidance.

“This is not the time for New Yorkers to relax their efforts to protect themselves and their families and communities from these deadly viruses,” Morse said. “The best tool we have for preventing severe illness is vaccination, and right now, the federal government is calling that tool into question.”

Morse called the new federal vaccine recommendations an “unprecedented overhaul” and said the city rejects the federal guidance. She added that there’s “no evidence to support the change in federal recommendations and vaccines remain safe, effective and recommended to prevent serious illness.”

The city recommends that children receive all the vaccines that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention previously recommended. “By significantly shrinking the list of recommended vaccines proven to save lives, the CDC is putting the health and well-being of children and their families at risk,” Morse said.

Morse announced some good news in that flu cases have declined over the past two weeks, but warned that the city is not out of the woods yet and that flu seasons are unpredictable and can stretch into May.

While the city has encouraged vaccinations, the vaccination rate among children has actually decreased. There has been a nearly six percent decline in the number of flu vaccine doses that have been administered to children aged six months to 18 years old this influenza season, compared to the same age group at the same time during the 2024-25 flu season.

The city only has consistent vaccine information for children, as information from adults is not mandated. Morse said the city is attempting to boost the vaccination rate by holding press conferences, engaging with and supporting pediatricians and holding public campaigns that encourage vaccinations and combat misinformation. At the start of the flu season in October, Morse and city health officials reinforced the importance of vaccines amid the changing federal recommendations.

The city has been bracing for a rough flu season since the fall. “I want every New Yorker to be as safe and healthy as possible this winter and this respiratory viral season,” Morse had said at a virtual press conference back on Oct. 22. “The best way to do that is by getting the updated flu and COVID-19 vaccines, and then, if folks are eligible, the RSV vaccine as well.”

Dr. Toni Eyssallenne, the city’s deputy chief medical officer, said at the Jan. 8 press conference that vaccination is the “best tool” to prevent serious illness, even if it doesn’t guarantee that New Yorkers won’t fall sick. She echoed Morse’s message that New Yorkers should remain on alert during the flu season. “While we are seeing a decline in flu cases in New York City, which is encouraging, the virus is still circulating at high levels, and New Yorkers must remain vigilant,” Eyssallenne said.