{"id":87377,"date":"2025-12-10T14:04:32","date_gmt":"2025-12-10T21:04:32","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/?p=87377"},"modified":"2025-12-10T14:04:32","modified_gmt":"2025-12-10T21:04:32","slug":"k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/","title":{"rendered":"The ominous new ‘K’ flu variant is spreading as flu shot rates fall"},"content":{"rendered":"
<\/div>
\"The
The new “K” flu variant is spreading in Colorado and across the U.S., raising concerns about a tough flu season. At the same time, fewer people are getting their flu shots. It’s not too late to get your shot. Photo: Getty Images.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Fewer people are getting their annual flu shots this year, just as flu infections are rising and the ominous new \u201cK\u201d flu variant is spreading.<\/p>\n

In Colorado, only about 25% of people have gotten their flu shots so far this fall, according to data<\/a> from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s down from about 27% of people who had gotten their flu shots by this time last year. And it\u2019s a significant drop from the 32% of Coloradans who got flu shots during the entire winter respiratory virus season in 2024 and 2025.<\/p>\n

While misinformation about vaccines has driven down the number of people who are getting all types of vaccines \u2014 including those that protect people from the flu \u2014 the drop in the percentage of Coloradans who are getting annual flu shots comes at a particularly dangerous time.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s because a new flu variant has been surging around the world and has caused bad, early flu outbreaks in Japan, the United Kingdom and Canada. This variant, known as the Type A H3N2 \u201csubclade K\u201d is now spreading in Colorado and across the U.S., prompting warnings from infectious disease experts that we could face a tough flu season.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn the U.S., 20,000 to 30,000 people still die every year from the flu,\u201d said Dr. Michelle Barron<\/a>, UCHealth\u2019s senior medical director for infection control and prevention.<\/p>\n

\u201cThat\u2019s not insignificant,\u201d said Barron, who is also a\u00a0professor of medicine and infectious diseases<\/a>\u00a0at the\u00a0University of Colorado School of Medicine<\/a>\u00a0on the\u00a0Anschutz Campus<\/a>.<\/p>\n

At the same time, the \u201cK\u201d variant, which soon could become dominant in the U.S., appears to be especially good at evading vaccines and bypassing our bodies\u2019 immune systems.<\/p>\n

This year\u2019s flu shot isn\u2019t perfect, but you should still get it<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Even though this year\u2019s flu shot is a \u201cmismatch\u201d for the \u201cK\u201d variant, that doesn\u2019t mean you should skip getting flu vaccines for yourself and your family members, Barron said.<\/p>\n

Getting a flu shot still protects people from getting severely ill or dying if they get the flu.<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why Barron\u2019s advice is simple and clear. If you haven\u2019t gotten your flu shot yet or made an appointment to get your kids vaccinated, do it now.<\/p>\n

\u201cIt\u2019s never too late. Now that we\u2019re seeing an uptick in flu cases, it\u2019s a great time to go get your vaccine because the numbers will continue to rise,\u201d Barron said. \u201cYou\u2019re going to need that extra level of protection as more people get sick and as more people will be traveling or having visitors.\u201d<\/p>\n

Barron encouraged people to enjoy fun times with family and friends rather than picking up a lousy respiratory virus.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe worst part of the holiday season is if you\u2019re sick and stuck in bed. You want to be able to go out and enjoy the holidays,\u201d Barron said.<\/p>\n

To learn more about the flu, we asked Barron for answers to your top questions.<\/p>\n

Why do you expect the 2025-2026 respiratory virus season to be bad for the flu? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

Confusion about vaccines is driving down vaccination rates. When fewer people are protected, viruses can spread more easily and make more people sick, Barron said.<\/p>\n

Vaccination rates are lower across the board, and some people who don\u2019t want COVID-19 vaccines are also skipping flu shots.<\/p>\n

Barron encourages people to talk with their providers and get both their flu and COVID-19 vaccines.<\/p>\n

\u201cFlu is a separate virus (from the one that causes COVID-19),\u201d Barron said. \u201cPeople are going to get really sick from the flu this year. The very young, the very old and people with underlying medical conditions are at the greatest risk.\u201d<\/p>\n

Last year\u2019s flu season<\/a> also was very severe.<\/p>\n

An estimated 27,000 to 130,000 people died<\/a> in the U.S. due to the flu. And a record number of children \u2014\u00a0at least 279 \u2014 died of confirmed flu cases during the 2024 and 2025 flu season, according to data<\/a> from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Nearly all of these children previously were healthy.<\/p>\n

Getting vaccines can help prevent the tragic deaths of young and old people alike. That\u2019s why Barron said it\u2019s so critical for people to get their vaccines now.<\/p>\n

What new flu virus is going around? How did the ‘K’ variant develop, and should I worry about it? <\/strong><\/h2>\n

It\u2019s normal for viruses to change. As they spread, they mutate.<\/p>\n

There are multiple strains of the influenza A and B viruses; however, in general, there are specific strains that emerge and cause yearly outbreaks that give rise to our traditional flu season, which can stretch from September through April.<\/p>\n

The most common influenza A strains that are circulating these days are H1N1 and H3N2. This year, the H3N2 strain changed more than it typically does, and multiple mutations have given birth to the \u201cK\u201d variant<\/p>\n

\u201cThey\u2019re like copying errors,\u201d Barron said. \u201cIt has a number of mutations. This is common. Flu mutates all the time.\u201d<\/p>\n

Unfortunately, the timing of the \u201cK\u201d strain\u2019s emergence has been challenging. Vaccine makers already had created flu shots. This year\u2019s version includes components that will allow your immune system to fight H3N2 strains, but they don\u2019t specifically fight the \u201cK\u201d variant because it\u2019s too new.<\/p>\n

Barron says the \u201cK\u201d variant is complicating the ability of this year\u2019s flu shot to fight the flu. She said it\u2019s like mailing a package to someone but using the wrong ZIP code.<\/p>\n

\u201cYou change one number on the ZIP code, and it could send your mail next door, down the street or 50 miles away.\u201d<\/p>\n

With a vaccine, the \u201cZIP code\u201d tells your body exactly where to hunt down intruders that can make you sick. If the vaccine has bad directions and is hunting for an older version of the H3N2 strain, you\u2019ll get some protection, but the vaccine may not fully protect you.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vaccines still work. Your body will know that the virus is present. But these mutations can evade your immune system. When the strains in the vaccine don\u2019t match what is circulating in the community, you have a vaccine mismatch,\u201d Barron said. \u201cThe flu shot still protects you. When it\u2019s a mismatch, you might get sick, but the vaccine decreases the likelihood that you will be hospitalized and decreases the likelihood that you will die from complications of the flu.\u201d<\/p>\n

The challenges related to the \u201cK\u201d variant and the way that it has behaved in other countries have sparked concern for infectious disease experts like Barron. She and many other pros are keeping a close eye on how the \u201cK\u201d variant will affect flu cases here in the U.S.<\/p>\n

In Colorado, when doctors test hospital patients for the flu (and other respiratory viruses), they send the lab samples to experts at the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. Workers at the state lab then test the samples to determine exactly which strains of the flu are spreading.<\/p>\n

Currently, the majority of flu samples that lab workers are testing have been the subclade \u201cK\u201d strain. (View data<\/a> about influenza and other respiratory viruses from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment.)<\/p>\n

How concerned are you about the drop in flu shots and decreased rates for other vaccines?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Barron is very concerned that vaccination rates are declining, and more people will get sick and will need to be hospitalized. Some will die.<\/p>\n

\u201cWe\u2019re seeing a lot less uptake of the flu vaccine than we’ve seen historically, and that\u2019s not a good trend, especially because we know these vaccines (flu and COVID-19) are very good and reduce the severity of illness,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n

Barron strongly encourages anyone who has doubts about vaccines to speak directly with their medical providers.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe vaccine misinformation is not based on sound science, and it\u2019s causing a lot of distrust,\u201d Barron said. \u201cMy hope is that people will still consult with their providers. They know you and the nuances about your health. When they make a recommendation for you \u2014 whether it\u2019s to get a flu vaccine or COVID-19 or a pneumonia shot, it\u2019s because they know you and they want to keep you healthy.\u201d<\/p>\n

What is the greatest concern as we head into what could be a tough flu season?<\/strong><\/h2>\n

Barron said it\u2019s particularly heartbreaking to see children die of the flu.<\/p>\n

\u201cThese were generally healthy kids. Parents may think a flu shot is not a big deal. But even healthy kids have immune systems that are not as mature. And that just makes them more vulnerable,\u201d she said. \u201cIt distresses me greatly when parents don\u2019t fully understand the risks and don\u2019t get their children vaccinated.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s why her message is so simple. Go get vaccines for yourself and your kids. Now.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Fewer people are getting their annual flu shots this year, just as flu infections are rising and the ominous new \u201cK\u201d flu variant is spreading. In Colorado, only about 25% of people have gotten their flu shots so far this fall, according to data from the Colorado Department of Public Health and Environment. That\u2019s down […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2123,"featured_media":87335,"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":[4797,9038],"class_list":["post-87377","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-healthy-living","category-news","tag-seasonal-flu-treatment-and-flu-shots","tag-vaccines"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nNew 'K' flu variant spreads as flu shot rates fall - UCHealth Today<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"K flu variant is spreading in Colorado and across the U.S. as flu shot rates drop, raising concerns about a tough flu season ahead.\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"The ominous new 'K' flu variant is spreading as flu shot rates fall\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"K flu variant is spreading in Colorado and across the U.S. as flu shot rates drop, raising concerns about a tough flu season ahead.\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"UCHealth Today\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/uchealthorg\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-12-10T21:04:32+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/12\/08103853\/GettyImages-2243437148-older-man-flu-cough-web.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, UCHealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:creator\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:site\" content=\"@uchealth\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, UCHealth\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"7 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"Katie Kerwin McCrimmon, UCHealth\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#\/schema\/person\/d43cd81d6f8e440a3e496f8a012c68e9\"},\"headline\":\"The ominous new ‘K’ flu variant is spreading as flu shot rates fall\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-12-10T21:04:32+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\"},\"wordCount\":1559,\"publisher\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/#organization\"},\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/uchealth-wp-uploads.s3.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/6\/2025\/12\/08103853\/GettyImages-2243437148-older-man-flu-cough-web.webp\",\"keywords\":[\"Seasonal flu treatment and flu shots\",\"vaccines\"],\"articleSection\":[\"Healthy living\",\"News\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\"},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.uchealth.org\/today\/k-flu-variant-spreads-as-flu-shot-rates-fall\/\",\"name\":\"New 'K' flu variant spreads as flu shot rates fall - 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