ATLANTA — Georgia’s flu season has already been a rough one, and health experts warn it could get even worse in the coming weeks.

Doctors say infection numbers are expected to spike over the next two weeks following holiday gatherings with friends and family. They hope cases will begin to decline later this month, though experts note the flu season can extend into the spring.

Health officials say flu activity is very high right now in metro Atlanta and is expected to get worse before it gets better. For the first time, Emory Healthcare has launched a 24/7 flu hotline. Emory’s Dr. Jessica Howard-Anderson says the hotline number is posted on banners across all Emory Healthcare websites. The number is 404-544-9358.

Howard-Anderson says this week will be critical as people return to work and school.

The Atlanta-based CDC has called this the most severe flu season since 2018, noting more than 3,100 Americans died from the virus in 2025. Health experts say a new variant spreading quickly is driving a rise in illnesses and hospitalizations nationwide and in Georgia, which is among the hardest-hit states.

Doctors continue to urge people to get a flu shot, saying it is still not too late. If someone does become infected, many recommend antiviral medications such as Tamiflu to help reduce symptoms.

“It is never too late to get the vaccine,” said Dr. Jessica Shepherd, chief medical officer for HERS. “Even for me personally, I was a little bit later in the season but I still got the flu vaccine.”

This new year, vaccine policies may also be shifting into the workplace. David Dodd, CEO of Atlanta-based vaccine developer GeoVax, says more companies are stepping in to help employees manage their healthcare, including access to vaccines.

“We have nutritionists there, nurses and pharmacists there administering if people would like to have those vaccines they are available, it’s a matter of convenience,” Dodd said.

Dodd says employers are increasingly offering on-site vaccines, health screenings, and wellness benefits, calling it good business sense and noting a healthier workforce benefits everyone.

The CDC recommends following these tips to avoid getting the flu:

1. Avoid close contact. Avoid close contact with people who are sick. When you are sick, keep your distance from others to protect them from getting sick, too. Putting physical distance between yourself and others can help lower the risk of spreading a respiratory virus.
2. Stay home when you are sick. If possible, stay home from work, school, and errands when you’re sick. You can go back to your normal activities when, for at least 24 hours, both are true:
1. Your symptoms are getting better overall, and
2. You have not had a fever (and are not using fever-reducing medication 1). After these two criteria are met, there are some additional precautions that can be taken to protect others from respiratory illness.
3. Cover your mouth and nose. Cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing. It may prevent those around you from getting sick. Influenza viruses are thought to spread mainly by droplets made when people with flu cough, sneeze or talk. Wearing a mask is an additional prevention strategy that you can choose to do to further protect yourself and others. When worn by a person with an infection, masks reduce the spread of the virus to others. Masks can also protect wearers from breathing in infectious particles from people around them.
4. Clean your hands. Washing your hands often will help protect you from germs. If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol-based hand rub.
1. Handwashing: Clean Hands Save Lives Tips on hand washing and using alcohol-based hand sanitizers
5. Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. Germs can be spread when a person touches something that is contaminated with germs and then touches his or her eyes, nose, or mouth.
6. Take steps for cleaner air. You can improve air quality by bringing in fresh outside air, purifying indoor air or gathering outdoors. Cleaner air can reduce the risk of exposure to viruses.
7. Practice good hygiene and other healthy habits. Cleaning frequently touched surfaces, such as countertops, handrails, and doorknobs regularly can help prevent the spread of some illnesses. Also, get plenty of sleep, be physically active, manage your stress, drink plenty of fluids, and eat nutritious food.