Summer & the Flu

Flu epidemics typically occur in the winter. This is true in both the northern and southern hemispheres, where the seasons take place at opposite times of the year. There are some instances, however, in which a person might be vulnerable to the flu in summer. These instances are largely related to travel.

Outbreaks

• Although rare, outbreaks of the flu occasionally occur in the summer. Higher humidity in summer tends to limit the survival capabilities of the influenza virus, restraining its ability to spread.

Location

• In tropical regions, the flu season is not well defined, so flu outbreaks can occur at any time of year. This is because the tropics are essentially seasonless.

Travel

• If you travel to a part of the world where it is winter, you might contract the flu while you are there, even if it's summer where you live. In the northern hemisphere, the flu season generally lasts between November and March. In the southern hemisphere, flu season takes place between April and September.

Misdiagnosis

• Occasionally doctors may misdiagnose a patient as having the flu when he is suffering from other another form of respiratory infection. Conversely, doctors may overlook a flu diagnosis in the summer because they see so many fewer cases in summer.

Prevention/Solution

• Doctors recommend flu shots for people in high-risk categories (such as those 65 and older) who are at risk for contracting flu in summer for the reasons outlined earlier in this article. Flu shots can be taken at the beginning of the season and will last throughout. Although not all flu shots can prevent every strain of influenza, getting a flu shot will significantly reduce your chances of contracting the flu.