5 Things to Know: Pennsylvania’s Respiratory Virus Season Outlook

October 08, 2026

Thousands of Pennsylvanians go to the hospital every winter due to respiratory viruses, and now is the time to protect your health.

This week, state health leaders received their updated COVID-19 vaccines during an event in Pittsburgh to remind everyone about the importance of vaccination ahead of the winter cold and flu season. The annual reminders about cold and flu season also come alongside the state's public health response to measles this year.

“Vaccinations remain an essential way to protect ourselves and our neighbors. As we approach respiratory virus season, Pennsylvanians can boost their body’s defenses by getting their age-appropriate COVID-19, flu, and RSV vaccinations,” said Dr. Deb Bogen, Pennsylvania health secretary.

Here are five things to know ahead of respiratory virus season.

1. Thousands of Pennsylvanians are hospitalized every year

Every year, the flu season makes thousands of Pennsylvanians sick. Many will require trips to the emergency room or the hospital due to severe symptoms.

In the past year, there have been 22,313 adult and 4,119 pediatric admissions for the flu; 7,976 adult and 3,172 pediatric admissions for RSV; and 13,333 adult and 1,228 pediatric admissions for COVID-19, according to the Department of Health’s dashboard.

2. December is likely to be a challenging time

The peak of COVID-19, flu, and RSV is hard to exactly predict, but the CDC expects that all three illnesses will surge sometime this winter. RSV and COVID-19 hospitalizations tend to peak in December and January. The flu has wider variance between December and February.

“Experts agree that some level of overlap in peak hospitalization burden may occur,” the CDC noted in its latest modeling.

3. The severity of the season is hard to predict

The CDC’s modeling indicates the combined hospitalization rate due to COVID-19, influenza, and RSV will be comparable to last season, with a few caveats.

The factors that go into a “bad” respiratory virus season include the emergence of new variants, the severity of those strains, and the general uptake of vaccines. Updated flu and COVID-19 shots are designed to defend against the circulating viruses, but mutations can happen as viruses spread across regions.

“Predicting the precise magnitude and timing of peak activity for each disease, as well as how disease-specific timing might overlap, remain difficult,” the CDC modeling notes.

4. Now is the time to get protected

Reports for COVID-19, flu, and RSV are all “very low” across the board, but cases are increasing.

Flu activity is “increasing rapidly” in Pennsylvania, while RSV and COVID-19 are "stable." Public health leaders recommend getting vaccinated before cases and hospitalizations tick up to ensure full protection this winter.

5. Recommendations for this cold and flu season come from a few sources  

The CDC has not updated its flu recommendations due to legal uncertainties and inquiries, so the 2025 immunization schedule remains in effect.

A coalition of national medical associations has compiled a consolidated summary of immunization recommendations for respiratory virus season. See this detailed breakdown for recommendations COVID-19, RSV, and flu by age.

Additional information about respiratory virus season is available online.