Table of Contents
DEERFIELD, Ill. — The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now reports that the 2024-2025 flu season is one the the worst since 2009 and has already affected an estimated 20 million Americans thus far. And, while flu activity has been on the rise across the U.S. since October, the Walgreens Flu Index just tracked its fourth consecutive week of increasing flu activity.
“Full season is in full swing,” says Anita Patel, vice president of Pharmacy Services Development at Walgreens.
The Walgreens Flu Index is an online, interactive tool that tracks weekly flu activity based on flu-related prescription data across the company’s community pharmacy locations nationwide. Index data is updated every Tuesday and allows users to search by market or state to see where their geographic area ranks for flu activity. For example, current data shows the top five states with flu activity are Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas.
The first week to show an increase in flu activity was the week ending on Jan. 18, 2025. The index data showed a 52% increase in average overall flu activity from the previous week. The chart below shows an increase each week since. Flu activity for the week ending on Feb. 8, 2025, the latest data from the index, only showed a small 1.6% increase in average overall flu activity from the previous week.
| 2025 Flu Week | Percent Change in Avg Overall Flu Activity From Prior Week |
|---|---|
Week ending Jan. 18, 2025 | 52% increase |
Week ending Jan. 25, 2025 | 33% increase |
Week ending Feb. 1, 2025 | 46% increase |
Week ending Feb. 8, 2025 | 1.6% increase |
“To protect yourself and others, I encourage everyone to get vaccinated, wash your hands frequently and if you're feeling symptoms, get tested right away,” Patel says.
U.S. flu activity over the last four weeks is also significantly higher when compared to the same time last year. For example, flu activity from the week ending Feb. 8, 2025, was 204% higher compared to the week ending Feb. 10, 2024.
Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also suggests this flu season is the most intense in 15 years. The CDC shows the percentage of flu-symptom-driven doctors’ visits is higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010, the Associated Press first reported.
“Don’t forget to pick up flu essentials like tissues, hand sanitizers, disinfecting wipes, over-the-counter medications and plenty of fluids at your local Walgreens,” Patel says. “These items can help ease symptoms and prevent the spread of germs during this busy flu season,” she concludes.
