Health officials seeing late-spring flu spike across Colorado

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. (KRDO) -- Colorado is experiencing a strange, Spring flu hike. According to UCHealth, saw its peak in cases in mid-May.

"Generally think of flu as seasonal. November to sometimes as late as March, most cases December and January," said Michelle Barron, an infectious disease expert with UCHealth.

In May, the number of flu cases came close to 1,500. In December the numbers were around 500 cases.

"Which is sort of shocking because it’s just not again typical for us to see flu late this late in the spring-early summer months," said Barron.

Barron says it all has to do with COVID-19. When the pandemic stated flu number were extremely low, but in March all restrictions were lifted.

"All those of things went away. Spring break was happening and people just felt like they could actually live again, which is a great thing, but then it promoted spread of flu. We probably had a little bit less immunity than we probably would have," said Barron.

On top of that, Barron says the vaccines are now less effective.

"Most of us get our flu shots in the fall with idea that they’ll be most effective when December and January comes along, so here we are out in May, the likely hood of your shot having any impact starts to decrease significantly," said Barron.

If you are feeling sick there are ways to differentiate if it's the flu or COVID. Flu symptoms are still the same with fever, body aches, and feeling tired. Right now, COVID is presenting more mild like a cold with a running nose and sore throat, so if you don't test positive for COVID you may have the flu.

With the start of June, flu cases are trending downward again, sitting around 600, but it's still a high number for June.

Barron is urging people to remember to get all of their vaccines before the fall. Experts do expect flu season will be much worse in the fall.