top of page
Search

The Flu continues to affect all states, but Oklahoma has taken the biggest hit

derekmendez004
Jan 12, 2025
2 min read



As Oklahoma residents can celebrate the decline of COVID-19, their new worry shifts to the rise of the flu within the state.


Oklahoma has seen the highest numbers of the flu compared to any other state this flu season.



According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, there have been 750 flu hospitalizations in Oklahoma since September of last year. Seventy-three of them occurred in the last two weeks of March. 


The CDC has Oklahoma listed at the top of the nation for flu activity, and it is expected for cases and hospitalizations to continue to rise for the next couple of weeks. 


Brady Argail is a junior at Oklahoma State University who experienced the flu after returning from spring break and had severe symptoms. 


“I ended up getting the flu from someone in my class after spring break, and it was one of the worst pains I’ve ever been through,” Argail revealed. “I know a couple of friends who got it, I even heard the football team had to cancel a practice because of a small spread in the team. It just keeps on spreading on campus.”

Oklahoma is one of the top six states in the nation with the lowest flu vaccination rates. Florida has the lowest vaccination rate at 41.7%, and Oklahoma has a vaccination rate of 45.9%. 


While it is normal for Oklahoma to have a low vaccination rate, the CDC disclosed that the vaccine has not been very effective this season. A March report revealed that the flu shot was only 16% effective at preventing the virus.


Dr. Phan is a part of the medical staff at OSU’s University Health Services. While the vaccine rate plays a role in the rise of the flu, she believes that are other factors that have also caused the spread of the virus.


“Just this past semester, we have had plenty of students make appointments and test positive for the flu, especially after spring break,” Phan said. “After we saw numbers in COVID-19 decline, students began to neglect wearing masks, social distancing and washing hands. This is a main reason why this campus has seen a surge in the flu.”


Although students and Oklahoma residents continue to battle with the flu outbreak, numbers are expected to dwindle toward the beginning of May. 



 
 
 

Comments

bottom of page