This year’s flu is more contagious with worse symptoms. Here’s how to avoid it.

ZANESVILLE, Ohio – It is peak cold and flu season, and this year’s influenza virus strain is making it a season to remember.

90% of flu cases this year are tied to influenza A strain, which has undergone several mutations to become more contagious with more intense symptoms than flu strains from previous years. That’s why Dr. Jack Butterfield, the medical director for the Zanesville-Muskingum Health Department, is encouraging ways to prevent infection.

“The first and foremost important thing for prevention is vaccination. The flu shot, they’re not 100%, is still moderately effective. Also, if you do get the flu and you’ve had the flu shot, it will help decrease the severity of your symptoms. Other than that, good hygiene with hand washing, staying out of crowds if you are well and the flu is rampant,” Butterfield said.

In December of 2024, the U.S. saw 23,000 hospitalizations from the flu, but in December of 2025, the country saw 81,000 hospitalizations. With three times the rate of hospitalizations on record from the year before, Butterfield recommends keeping an eye on your symptoms and knowing when to reach out for treatment.

“If you can’t control the fever, if you have shortness of breath, if you’re feeling profoundly weak, if you are not able to stay hydrated, those are all symptoms that your illness is getting worse. At the very least, you need to contact your primary care provider,” Butterfield said. “There are medications that are anti-viral medications. These need to be started in the first 48 hours of your illness. So if your illness hits you and you are moderately to severely ill, right off the bat, don’t waste time. Contact your primary care provider. ”

If you do not have a primary care provider or cannot get ahold of them within the first 48 hours of severe symptoms, Butterfield says that your next move should be to head to your local ER or urgent care for treatment.