DHS Tracking Respiratory Illness Activity Ahead of the Holiday Season

With the holiday season around the corner, cold weather, increased travel, and gatherings with family and friends tend to lead to increased respiratory illness activity. With increased flu activity abroad, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services (DHS) is closely monitoring data trends for what may be a severe flu season. DHS has expanded wastewater testing for respiratory viruses and updated respiratory virus data dashboards to help Wisconsinites stay informed and protected throughout the holidays and the remainder of the respiratory season.

"In public health, data is our alert system. Our data show that on average, cases of respiratory viruses increase late fall and early winter as the weather gets colder," said DHS Respiratory Disease Epidemiologist Tom Haupt. "This is a great time to get vaccinated to prevent illnesses for you and those around you. Vaccination takes less than 30 minutes, which is much shorter than the time you could miss from work, school, or holiday gatherings if you get sick."

Respiratory virus and wastewater data provide information about respiratory virus activity levels throughout the state, including levels of flu, COVID-19, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV). This data is used to keep Wisconsinites safe and informed about current activity trends. Data can also provide information about past respiratory illness seasons to help prepare for the current season.

During the 2024-2025 respiratory virus season, Wisconsin saw a 211% rise in flu-associated hospitalizations from the end of December to the end of January, right after the holiday season, which shows how important it is to get vaccinations ahead of the celebrations and gatherings. And the expectation that respiratory illness activity will increase as the weather gets colder is another reason Wisconsinites should get the recommended vaccines to protect themselves and their loved ones against severe disease.

DHS data show over 1.3 million Wisconsinites, or 23%, have received a flu shot this season, and just 500,000 Wisconsinites, or 9%, have received an updated COVID-19 vaccine. Older adults and young children are usually most at risk of severe respiratory disease. Currently, 48% of adults aged 65 and older and 21% of children aged 0-4 have received a flu shot in Wisconsin. The number of flu shots administered in October is down 13% compared to last year.

DHS recommends the following respiratory vaccines for Wisconsinites:

• Flu: Recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
• COVID-19: Recommended for everyone 6 months and older.
• RSV vaccine: Recommended for pregnant people, adults 75 years and older, and adults aged 50-74 years with increased risk of RSV. The RSV vaccine is not an annual vaccine, meaning older adults do not need to get a dose each season.
• RSV antibodies: Recommended for young children under 8 months of age, and for children ages 8-19 months at increased risk of RSV.

To find and schedule a vaccine, Wisconsin residents are encouraged to check with their primary care provider, local  or Tribal health department, pharmacy, or community clinic. Those who do not have health insurance or whose health insurance does not cover vaccines can find help through programs including the Vaccines for Children program and Vaccines for Adults program.

"While most people associate respiratory illness with simply feeling under the weather for a day or two, these viruses can have serious consequences for people who are at higher risk, especially young children, older adults, and people who are pregnant or have chronic health conditions," said DHS Immunization Program Manager Dr. Stephanie Schauer. "It takes about two weeks after getting a vaccine for your body to build immunity against the virus."

If someone does feel sick during the holidays, it's important to stay home from work, school, and other gatherings to stop the spread of viruses. They can resume activities when symptoms have been improving for at least 24 hours with no fever (and no use of fever-reducing medication).

Along with current respiratory virus data and wastewater data, additional vaccination data for Wisconsin residents about flu, COVID-19, and RSV vaccines can be found on the DHS website.