It’s always hard to predict what kind of flu season the U.S. should expect and how severe cases could be. Add in the fact the U.S. is still experiencing record numbers of new COVID-19 cases on a daily basis and it makes predicting the future more difficult.
So far, flu cases have been down significantly compared to the 2019-20 season, but health officials also typically expect the peak in early February. According to the North Carolina Department of Health and Human Services, there have been three flu-related deaths since Sept. 27, 2020. As of the week that ended Dec. 19, only 1 out of about 5,000 specimens submitted to the state lab tested positive for flu. And for the week ending Jan. 2, there were 3 positive out of about 3,000 specimens submitted.