Worst States for the Flu
Places you may want to avoid as influenza season ramps up
This article was updated Jan. 9 to reflect the latest data for this year’s flu season.
The traditional heart of the flu season is weeks away, yet already influenza viruses have infected 6.4 million Americans, with 55,000 being hospitalized and approximately 2,900 dying, according to data released Jan. 9, 2020 by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. All regions of the country are experiencing the flu.
The odds of contracting the flu depend on a host of factors, including the time of year, the extent to which flu viruses spread in any given year, how many people you come in contact with, whether you are vaccinated, and even the state you live in or those you might visit.
A new analysis of CDC flu data from, of all places, Apartment Guide, provides one way of looking at the worst states for the flu (see other ways below). The analysis considered flu activity over the past six years during February, typically the worst flu month in a season that usually starts in October and can last into May. Scores were weighted to emphasize high activity over moderate and low. The analysis also factored in the average cost of doctor visits in each state and the typical cost of prescription ibuprofen, to reflect some aspects of flu…
