{"id":80243,"date":"2026-01-09T09:00:07","date_gmt":"2026-01-09T16:00:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=80243"},"modified":"2026-01-09T09:54:36","modified_gmt":"2026-01-09T16:54:36","slug":"flu-in-colorado-what-to-do-if-youre-feeling-lousy","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/flu-in-colorado-what-to-do-if-youre-feeling-lousy\/","title":{"rendered":"Flu season 2026: Why cases are surging and how to protect yourself"},"content":{"rendered":"<div style=\"margin-top: 0px; margin-bottom: 0px;\" class=\"sharethis-inline-share-buttons\" ><\/div><figure id=\"attachment_80329\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-80329\" style=\"width: 640px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-80329\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/02\/12082602\/GettyImages-2065809439-dad-daughter-flu-sick-web.webp\" alt=\"Flu cases are spiking in Colorado and around the U.S. It's not too late to get your flu shot if you haven't gotten vaccinated yet. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Photo: Getty Images.\" width=\"640\" height=\"414\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-80329\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Flu cases are spiking in Colorado and around the U.S. It&#8217;s not too late to get your flu shot if you haven&#8217;t gotten vaccinated yet. Protect yourself and your loved ones. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p>Flu hospitalizations have spiked to record levels this winter in Colorado.<\/p>\n<p>And while it&#8217;s early in the 2025\u201326 flu season, flu outbreaks have been rough both globally and in the United States. So far, according to officials with the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/fluview\/surveillance\/2025-week-52.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the flu this season has caused at least<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>11 million illnesses<\/li>\n<li>120,000 hospitalizations<\/li>\n<li>5,000 deaths, including at least nine among children<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>And in Colorado, the flu has sent thousands of people \u2014 both adults and children \u2014 to clinics and hospital ERs.<\/p>\n<p>So far, according to experts at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment, <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.colorado.gov\/viral-respiratory-diseases-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">the 2025\u201326 flu season in Colorado has caused<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>More than 3,227 hospital admissions in Colorado since Oct. 1, 2025<\/li>\n<li>Positivity rates as high as 33% for flu<\/li>\n<li>And one pediatric death in Colorado this winter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>In Colorado, fewer people are getting their flu vaccines. <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.colorado.gov\/respiratory-virus-immunization-data\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">As of early January 2026<\/a>:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>About 28% of Coloradans have gotten a flu vaccine, down from about 29% at the same time last year and significantly lower than the total number of Coloradans who were vaccinated last year.<\/li>\n<li>Among Coloradans who have gotten a flu shot so far this year, older adults are most likely to have received one, but the rates remain low.<\/li>\n<li>About 50% of Coloradans ages 65 and older have gotten a flu shot during the 2025 and 2026 season.<\/li>\n<li>About 31% of babies and children under age 10 have gotten their flu vaccines in Colorado.<\/li>\n<li>And fewer than 15% of Coloradans in their 20s have gotten a flu shot.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>What\u2019s happening with the flu at UCHealth hospitals now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<figure id=\"attachment_87885\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-87885\" style=\"width: 800px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" class=\"wp-image-87885\" src=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2026\/01\/09093622\/Flu-and-COVID-hospitalizations-with-last-year-1.7-web-scaled.webp\" alt=\"Primary infections reported for respiratory illness cases at UCHealth facilities as of Jan. 7, 2026. Source: UCHealth.\" width=\"800\" height=\"343\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-87885\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Primary infections reported for respiratory illness cases at UCHealth facilities as of Jan. 7, 2026. Source: UCHealth.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h2><strong>Why has this winter\u2019s flu season been so severe?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>What is the cause of this record-setting surge in flu hospitalizations, and why has this year\u2019s flu season been so bad?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s a perfect storm,\u201d said <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/provider\/michelle-barron-md\/\">Dr. Michelle Barron<\/a>, senior medical director of infection prevention and control for UCHealth.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have low vaccination rates, and we have a more virulent, more transmissible strain, said Barron, who is also a\u00a0<a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/som.ucdenver.edu\/Profiles\/Faculty\/Profile\/8603\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">professor of medicine and infectious diseases<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0<a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/medschool.cuanschutz.edu\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/locations\/uchealth-at-university-of-colorado-anschutz-medical-campus\/\">Anschutz Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>The flu strain that has hit hard this year is the subclade \u201cK.\u201d (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\">Read more about the \u201cK\u201d flu strain<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<p>The timing for the \u201cK\u201d strain\u2019s surge in Colorado was especially bad.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFewer people were vaccinated, and people were gathering over the holidays. Then, kaboom, it hit,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>To learn more about this year\u2019s flu spikes, we asked Barron some of your top questions about this year\u2019s flu strains, how you can protect yourself and your family and what to do if you\u2019re feeling sick.<\/p>\n<div class=\"su-callout-box col-xs-12 col-sm-6 right\" style=\"background-color:#dce4e7; color:#2e3b44;\">\n<h4><strong>What are respiratory illnesses doing now?<\/strong><\/h4>\n<p>Interested in knowing the risk of respiratory illnesses in your community so you can make an informed decision about protecting your health? Check out this<a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/colorado-new-real-time-dashboard-tracks-local-illnesses-with-wastewater-data\/\"> CDPHE surveillance dashboard<\/a> that displays data from wastewater tested for the presence of viruses at 20 facilities around the state.<\/div>\n<h2><strong>Why did flu cases surge so quickly in December 2025?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Flu is predictable. It arrives at the same time every year during what we now call the winter respiratory virus season. Infectious disease experts, like Barron, know to expect surges as we head into the fall and winter. But Barron and other medical professionals never like seeing a dramatic increase in cases like the one that showed up in late November and December 2025 in Colorado as a nearly vertical line, meaning flu infections and hospitalizations shot up suddenly.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThere was no subtlety this year,\u201d Barron said. \u201cWhen numbers started going up, I thought, \u2018OK, flu is circulating.\u2019 But then the slope rose steeply. You don\u2019t ever want a steep line like that.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Barron said medical providers and hospital pros are keeping up with waves of sick people who are flooding into primary care clinics and hospital ERs. So, if you\u2019re feeling lousy, you should definitely seek help from your medical provider as soon as possible.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What can you do if you\u2019re feeling sick and you think you have the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you are experiencing flu symptoms, there are multiple steps you can take:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Call your medical provider right away to get help.<\/li>\n<li>You can get tested to learn exactly what you have, whether it\u2019s flu, COVID-19 or RSV.<\/li>\n<li>If you test positive for the flu, there\u2019s <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/lets-talk-about-tamiflu\/\">a treatment called Tamiflu<\/a> that can shorten the duration of your illness. But you need to start taking Tamiflu early in the course of the illness.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>Can I still get a flu shot?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Yes. Barron said it\u2019s not too late to get your flu shot. Adults should protect themselves, and parents should be sure to get their children vaccinated. Here&#8217;s key information from Barron and others about flu shots:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Everyone 6 months of age or older should get a flu shot.<\/li>\n<li>There are special, stronger versions of flu vaccines for older people and those who are immunocompromised.<\/li>\n<li>Call your doctor\u2019s office or head to a nearby pharmacy and get your flu shot now.<\/li>\n<li>In recent years, the U.S. has experienced <a style=\"background-color: #ffffff\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/strange-spring-flu-spike-likely-related-to-covid-19\/\">strange spikes in flu cases in the spring<\/a>. If you get a flu shot soon, you can protect yourself during the remainder of the winter respiratory virus season and throughout the spring.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>During flu season, if you haven&#8217;t gotten sick yet, you can also do everything you can to stay healthy and avoid getting the flu or other illnesses and spreading them to other people.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWhat can you do? Get your shot. Wash your hands. Clean surfaces. Stay home if you&#8217;re sick. Wear a mask. Masks are protective, especially if you\u2019re in a household where flu is running rampant,\u201d Barron said. (<a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/why-soap-and-water-work-better-than-hand-sanitizer-to-remove-remove-viruses-and-germs\/\">Learn why soap and water work better than hand sanitizer when it comes to staying healthy<\/a>.)<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What should I do if someone in my house has the flu? Should I wear a mask? And should I take Tamiflu to prevent a flu infection?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Yes, you can take Tamiflu if you&#8217;ve been directly exposed to the flu.<\/p>\n<p>Barron has a friend who called her for advice. His young child got sick with the flu at day care. The parents had been too busy to get flu vaccines for their child or themselves. The parents are immunocompromised and wondered how they should protect themselves. Should they consider taking Tamiflu \u2014 the medication that people can take early in the course of a flu infection to reduce the severity of the flu or to shorten the course of the illness?<\/p>\n<p>Barron\u2019s advice to her friend was simple and clear.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes. You have diabetes. So, you\u2019re at higher risk if you get the flu. You can take Tamiflu.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>She said people who have the flu in their home or who were otherwise exposed and are at high risk for severe illness if they get the flu can take Tamiflu prophylactically to prevent flu cases.<\/p>\n<p>If you\u2019re feeling sick, or a member of your household is sick, it\u2019s wise to get tested for flu, COVID-19 or RSV and check with your medical provider about medications you can take.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTamiflu can help. You still want to do everything to try and avoid contact with the person who is sick while they&#8217;re infectious, like wearing a mask in your home,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>She also advised her friend to have the whole family get flu shots once their child recovered.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>If I didn\u2019t get a flu shot and either a family member or I already got the flu, should I still get a flu shot? <\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><strong>\u00a0<\/strong>Yes. Barron said that if you didn\u2019t get a flu shot this winter \u2014 for whatever reason \u2014 it\u2019s still wise to go get the vaccine.<\/p>\n<p>Like many people, Barron\u2019s friends were confused about whether they should get flu shots for themselves or their child after going through one bout of the flu. They assumed that their child had immunities to the flu since she had already gotten a confirmed case of it.\u00a0 And presumably, they had been exposed as well. Should they still get a flu shot?<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYes. All of you need the flu shot,\u201d Barron told her friend. \u201cYour daughter had Type A flu (presumably the \u201cK\u201d subclade), but she hasn\u2019t had Flu B yet, and she\u2019s in daycare, so she\u2019s exposed to a lot of viruses.\u201d<\/p>\n<p>Since the parents had been on Tamiflu, Barron advised them to wait at least 48 hours after finishing the medication, then they should get their flu shots. Since their child had the flu, Barron recommended waiting about two weeks after the child recovered, then taking the daughter to get her flu shot.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cDon\u2019t forget to get the shot. You don\u2019t want to miss the opportunity (to get the protection). She has immunity to Flu A. But she doesn\u2019t have immunity to Flu B. And we don\u2019t know exactly when it\u2019s going to start circulating. What are the chances that she\u2019ll get flu again? We don\u2019t know exactly. But it\u2019s a risk, and getting the flu is no fun at all.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>So, is it possible to get the flu twice in the same flu season?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Yes. Barron said it is possible to get two different strains of flu during the same season. The best way to avoid getting the flu \u2014 or to avoid getting severely ill and needing to be hospitalized with the flu \u2014\u00a0is to get your vaccine.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>We\u2019ve experienced a big spike already with the subclade K version of Type A flu. When do Type B flu infections typically start spreading?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Type B flu strains typically start spreading in the late winter <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/strange-spring-flu-spike-likely-related-to-covid-19\/\">or in the spring<\/a> and sometimes even in the summer, Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019re still very much in flu season here. We\u2019re not done yet. And Flu B will pop up soon or in the spring,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cTypically, we start seeing Flu B in March, which is why I\u2019ll say it a thousand times: \u2018If you have not gotten your flu shot, you need to go get it.\u2019 We\u2019re in the thick of flu season. And everyone will benefit from getting that protection.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cEven if this year\u2019s shot is not a perfect match for the strains that are circulating this year, getting a flu shot still decreases the severity of illness. You don\u2019t want to be off from work or have kids out of school for a long period of time. You don\u2019t want to be hospitalized.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd flu is hitting kids hard this year. There have been quite a few pediatric flu deaths. Even healthy kids can get complications from the flu,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Who is most at risk if they get severely ill from the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cWe talk a lot about the very old and the very young and people who have underlying health conditions,\u201d Barron said. \u201cBut young, healthy children die from the flu. And for some reason, this year\u2019s strains seem to be very hard on kids.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Are flu cases starting to go down in Colorado now?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p><a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/cdphe.colorado.gov\/viral-respiratory-diseases-report\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment<\/a> show that there has been a slight dip in flu hospitalizations early in 2026 since December 2025 peaks. But Barron and fellow infectious disease experts know from experience that flu cases often come in waves. She and other medical pros are bracing to continue caring for people with the flu for several more weeks.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cFlu is still circulating. It hit early in Colorado and places like Louisiana and New York. Now, everyone else is getting hit, and people are traveling. We have visitors from all over the world, so new potential exposures are happening all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Are this year\u2019s flu strains causing different symptoms this year?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>No. The symptoms are typical. People feel lousy. They often have a fever and a cough. Flu hits suddenly, and people can have body aches.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s typical for the flu. The \u2018K\u2019 strain seems to spread faster, and you may feel sicker, but the symptoms are the same,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What happens when people need to be hospitalized with the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Some children and adults need to be hospitalized with the flu when they have trouble breathing or get severely dehydrated.<\/p>\n<p>If you or your child is ill, do not delay. Call for help right away.<\/p>\n<p>Barron said some people can develop bacterial pneumonia on top of a flu infection.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cAnd what gets people in trouble (and can be deadly) is breathing issues,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Are there other typical symptoms of the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>Yes. Along with chills, fevers and a cough, people can have a runny nose, a sore throat and a headache, Barron said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What should you do if you\u2019re feeling sick and you think you might have the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>If you are experiencing flu symptoms, check with your medical provider right away. You can get tested to learn exactly what you have, whether it\u2019s flu, COVID-19 or RSV.<\/p>\n<p>If you test positive for flu, you can take Tamiflu. But you need to act quickly. You need to start taking Tamiflu early in the course of the illness.<\/p>\n<p>Be sure to stay hydrated. You can use home remedies to feel better. Be sure to <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/medicine-cabinet-must-haves-for-illnesses-and-minor-medical-emergencies\/\">keep essential medications on hand at home<\/a> so you don\u2019t have to venture out when you feel lousy.<\/p>\n<p>And you can comfort yourself or others who are feeling sick by making soothing soups. <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/comfort-soups-for-flu-season\/\">Check out some soup ideas to make during flu season<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>Remind me of the basics. What exactly is the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The flu is a respiratory illness caused by the influenza virus. There are three types of the virus, but only two (influenza A and influenza B) are responsible for the annual flu season, which can stretch from September through April.<\/p>\n<p>The disease is highly contagious and spreads primarily through respiratory droplets from person to person when people sneeze or cough. The virus changes from year to year. That\u2019s why we need a new flu shot every year.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What about pregnant women? Are they also at risk if they get the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cYes. If you\u2019re older or very young, or you have underlying medical conditions that impact your immune system, you\u2019re at higher risk,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>Yes. Pregnant women, like the very young, the very old and people with underlying health conditions, are at high risk of getting the flu and getting severely ill.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe\u2019ve been seeing higher rates of pregnant women becoming infected and hospitalized with influenza and other illnesses,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>Misinformation has reduced vaccination rates during pregnancy.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cSome people think, \u2018I\u2019m young. I\u2019m healthy. Why would I need a vaccine?\u2019 But they\u2019re not thinking about the fact that when you\u2019re pregnant, your immune system is not as strong,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>She strongly advises pregnant women to get all of the recommended vaccines.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What should people do to protect themselves from the flu and other winter respiratory viruses?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The answer is very simple: get vaccinated.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe have many very good, very safe, very effective vaccines,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>Each year, the effectiveness varies because vaccine makers have to guess in advance exactly which variants of each virus will be spreading much later. But even if the flu vaccine is not a perfect match, it will help protect people from hospitalization and death.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe vaccines do not necessarily keep you from getting sick, but they decrease severity. So, if you get a flu vaccine, you are much less likely to end up in the hospital,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cThe other reason it\u2019s important to get your shots is that you will be in contact with other people: from family members to co-workers and friends. If you don\u2019t get a vaccine, and you get sick, you\u2019re much more likely to give an infection to someone else,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cYou may be young and healthy, but that doesn\u2019t mean that everybody around you is also healthy, and you want to protect them,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n<h2><strong>What else can people do to stay healthy and avoid getting the flu?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>The basic rules for staying well apply. Whether you\u2019re trying to avoid getting sick from the flu, COVID-19, RSV or the common cold, Barron advises people to take the following precautions:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Wash your hands frequently with soap and water.<\/li>\n<li>Cover your cough.<\/li>\n<li>Stay home if you\u2019re sick. Don\u2019t spread illnesses to other people.<\/li>\n<li>If you can\u2019t wash your hands with soap and water, use hand sanitizer. But remember that sanitizer doesn\u2019t kill viruses that cause stomach bugs, like norovirus. To kill these bugs, you must use soap and water or bleach.<\/li>\n<li>Clean surfaces frequently. (Barron keeps bleach wipes handy.)<\/li>\n<li>Clean your devices. If you have washed your hands, but not your phone, and you touch your phone, then eat, you can get sick.<\/li>\n<li>If your hands aren\u2019t clean, avoid touching your face, eyes or nose, as you can spread viruses.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h2><strong>I skipped getting a flu vaccine. If I get one now, how long will it take for the vaccine to fully take effect?<\/strong><\/h2>\n<p>\u201cIt\u2019s not too late to get your flu shot,\u201d Barron said. \u201cFlu season typically runs through March, sometimes as late as April or May. So even though we\u2019re seeing a spike now, we haven\u2019t yet seen influenza B.<\/p>\n<p>\u201cWe typically start to see influenza B right around spring break,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n<p>If you feel lousy, you\u2019re not alone.<\/p>\n<p>Influenza cases are spiking now in Colorado and <a id=\"\" href=\"https:\/\/www.cdc.gov\/fluview\/index.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">across the U.S<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>Many people are suffering with chills, fevers, a cough, runny nose, sore throat, headache and body aches. While those symptoms can also be consistent with COVID-19, experts say influenza A cases are dominating the winter respiratory virus season right now. (Don\u2019t confuse influenza with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/norovirus-and-hand-sanitizer\/\">extremely contagious stomach bugs, like norovirus<\/a>, which some people also call the stomach flu.)<\/p>\n<div class=\"mceTemp\"><\/div>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Flu hospitalizations have spiked to record levels this winter in Colorado. And while it&#8217;s early in the 2025\u201326 flu season, flu outbreaks have been rough both globally and in the United States. So far, according to officials with the U.S. Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the flu this season has caused at least: [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":80329,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_relevanssi_hide_post":"","_relevanssi_hide_content":"","_relevanssi_pin_for_all":"","_relevanssi_pin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_unpin_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_keywords":"","_relevanssi_related_include_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_exclude_ids":"","_relevanssi_related_no_append":"","_relevanssi_related_not_related":"","_relevanssi_related_posts":"","_relevanssi_noindex_reason":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[6,8],"tags":[2684,162,4797],"class_list":["post-80243","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-news","tag-flu-season","tag-infectious-diseases","tag-seasonal-flu-treatment-and-flu-shots"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO Premium plugin v27.4 (Yoast SEO v27.4) - https:\/\/yoast.com\/product\/yoast-seo-premium-wordpress\/ -->\n<title>Flu in Colorado: What to do if you&#039;re feeling lousy - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Feeling lousy? 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