Flu Cases Surge Early Nationwide, CDC Urges Immediate Vaccination
On 14 October, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that flu activity had risen in all 50 states as early as 7 October and urged Americans to get the flu shot without delay. The agency highlighted the unusually early surge and warned that waiting for the usual October-November schedule could leave many unprotected. Health experts had been warning of an early uptick since September, when epidemiologists reported higher-than-normal case numbers on the West Coast driven by an H1N1 strain, and officials in Los Angeles County urged residents to vaccinate promptly.