A new variant of the influenza virus is causing schools to “brace for absences,” as cold and flu season descends upon us. Is the newest variant a cause for concern? Or is it overhyped media fear mongering?

The Hill reported at the beginning of the article that the real problem isn’t the flu per se, it’s the vaccine. The flu vaccine for the 2025-2026 season could be less effective against H3N2 subclade K, which has already caused spikes in hospitalizations in countries including Canada and the United Kingdom.

Annual Flu Vaccines Increase Risk Of Getting The Flu

“Although the number of U.S. influenza viruses analyzed so far is low because of low domestic flu activity, most have been H3N2 viruses and, among those, H3N2 subclade K viruses have been most common,” the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) said.

Health officials still say that people should get the shots because some protection is better than no protection.

“Even an imperfect influenza vaccine — let’s say it shaves 30 percent off of your influenza risk — is still probably shaving even more off your risk of getting severe influenza, meaning you’re only 30 percent as likely to get the flu, but if you get the flu, your likelihood of getting severe flu is much, much lower,” said Ryan Maves, professor of infectious disease at Wake Forest University.

“Your likelihood of going to the ICU is much lower. Your likelihood of getting hospitalized is much lower. Your likelihood of death is much lower. All of those things together cumulatively affect the risk and the efficacy of any given influenza vaccine, and so, when we look at getting the flu shot this year, I don’t think it’s really a decision. The decision is, ‘How lucky do you feel?’” Maves added.

The CDC and Big Pharma are also lamenting the drop in vaccination rates in the U.S.

The CDC found that in the 2024-2025 school year, vaccination rates dipped to 92.1 percent for the diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine (DTaP) and to 92.5 percent for the measles, mumps, and rubella vaccine (MMR) and polio vaccine for kindergartners. For the 2019-2020 school year, vaccination rates for DTaP were at 94.9 percent among kindergartners, and MMR was at 95.2 percent, according to the CDC. –The Hill

They Admit It: The Flu Has Disappeared Now That COVID Is Here

So is this a big deal? Or are we seeing the media attempt a fear-mongering campaign to boost the vaccination rate? Do you get the flu shot? Let us know what you think in the comments!