Flu Season Peaks in South-Central United States

The Walgreens Flu Index® recently highlighted the top 10 areas in the United States with influenza activity.

As of January 4, 2025, the cities were primarily located in the south-central U.S.

1. Harlingen-Weslaco-Brownsville-McAllen, Texas,
2. Knoxville, Tenn.,
3. Montgomery-Selma, Ala.
4. New Orleans, La.,
5. Jackson, Miss.,
6. Beaumont-Port Arthur, Texas,
7. Huntsville-Decatur (Florence), Ala.,
8. Nashville, Tenn.,
9. Birmingham (Anniston and Tuscaloosa), Ala.
10. El Paso, Texas (Las Cruces).

The Walgreens Flu Index provides state—and market-specific information regarding flu activity. It is compiled using retail prescription data for antiviral medications used to treat influenza at Walgreens's thousands of pharmacies nationwide, including Puerto Rico.

The Flu Index is not intended to illustrate flu activity levels or severity, but it complements the weekly data posted by the U.S. CDC. It is an interactive tool that allows users to search by market or state to see where their geographic area ranks for flu activity in any given week. 

In 2024, over 92 million flu shots were distributed in the U.S. As of January 13, 2025, various vaccine types remain available at most community pharmacies. They are recommended for most children and adults, and booster doses are often suggested for certain people.