Flu hits Acton amid statewide surge

Flu season is hitting Acton earlier than it did a year ago. 

As statewide hospitalizations remain high, officials insist “it’s not too late” to get the vaccine. 

Acton recorded 87 confirmed, probable, and suspected cases from December 1, 2025, to January 6, 2026, according to Director of Public Health Melanie Dineen. Last season, there were 22 during the same span. 

One Acton resident died due to the flu between October 2025 and January 7, according to preliminary state data, although a spokesperson cautioned that the figures may be “incomplete or inaccurate.” 

Flu cases can spike multiple times in each season.

Dineen, in an email exchange with The Acton Bridge, said the true case count is higher than the official tally, which includes only those who seek medical care. 

Hospital workers have been feeling this year’s surge — and one local expert said he’s worried about shifting vaccine recommendations from the Trump administration. 

“It’s a really bad time for public health,” retired Boston University professor and physician Malcolm Bryant said.

Acton’s rising flu case counts

Week | 2024-25 cases | 2025-26 cases

December 1 – 6 | 1 | 4

December 7 – 13 | 3 | 6

December 14 – 20 | 6 | 17

December 21 – 27 | 4 | 27

December 28 – January 6 | 8 | 33

‘Very active season’

In 2024-25, statewide flu hospitalizations didn’t peak until early February. 

This cycle, weekly cases climbed rapidly through December, according to the Massachusetts Department of Public Health. This surge appeared to ease as the calendar turned to January, with a decrease in the number of new cases. 

By January 13, four children and at least 62 adults had died due to the flu in Massachusetts this season, according to the DPH.

Emerson Hospital Chief Medical Officer Barry Kitch said the hospital is “experiencing a very active flu season,” with December 2025 flu-related emergency room visits up 174% over December 2024. 

Visits stayed high during the first week of January, up 89% from the first week of 2025. Kitch said Emerson was also seeing a bump in hospitalizations for people 65 and older, who are at higher risk for serious complications.

State Public Health Commissioner Robbie Goldstein said in a DPH statement earlier this month that “this is a moment for clarity, urgency, and action.” 

DPH reports that just over 50% of Concordians had gotten the latest flu vaccine as of late December. 

Bryant said this year’s formulation isn’t a “great” match to the actual virus. Even so, Dineen said vaccines remain the best way to control influenza’s spread and severity.

Acton organized flu and Covid vaccine clinics this season for residents over 60, municipal employees, and middle school staff, according to Board of Health Chair Jim Whalen. 

Whalen told fellow town committee chairs that 178 people got flu vaccines across three events.

Vaccine concerns

While locals amplify vaccine advice, the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has slashed the number of immunizations it recommends for all children. The list once included the annual flu shot. Now, the CDC says children should get the shot only after meeting with a doctor. 

Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said this aligns with the “international consensus.” Critics say it puts children at risk. 

Flu vaccine uptake here is nearly 20% higher than the state average, per DPH. But Bryant fears public opinion will shift.

Beyond the flu, he also worries about other federal vaccine changes. Massachusetts makes its own official judgments and decides which vaccines children need to receive to attend schools. Staff for Gov. Maura Healey, in a statement, said the state “will continue to recommend and provide easy access” to all vaccines that the CDC change affected.

Is it flu? What to do if you feel sick

Public health officials rang in the new year with alarm bells amid a spike in flu cases — and advice on what to do if you feel ill. 

Flu symptoms can include fever, a cough, a sore throat, muscle aches, and fatigue. Most people recover in less than two weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, but others develop dangerous complications such as pneumonia. 

The Department of Public Health said some Massachusetts hospital units were over 90% capacity earlier this month, “largely related to influenza.”

Barry Kitch, chief medical officer at Emerson Hospital, suggests heading to the emergency room if you have severe symptoms such as difficulty breathing, chest pain, confusion, or dehydration. 

Experts say the antiviral medicine Tamiflu can help. Drugmaker Genentech says patients should take it within 48 hours of symptom onset. 

Kitch said a primary care doctor can help manage mild symptoms. He urged anyone who had close contact with a flu patient to ask a provider if Tamiflu might reduce their chances of getting sick. 

Beyond treatment, Kitch reiterated prevention measures such as handwashing, covering coughs, and getting vaccinated.

Schools Superintendent Laurie Hunter told The Bridge last week that “we have not yet seen a marked increase in illness” but urged families to monitor symptoms, get vaccines, and keep their children home if they get sick.

With the flu, students should stay home until they’ve been fever-free for 24 hours and symptoms start improving. 

— Dakota Antelman