Can You Get the Flu in Summer?

You can get the flu in summer, but it's not very common. The influenza virus is more active in the fall and winter in the United States.

However, in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, worldwide flu patterns have been less predictable. This has led to an unusual rise in summer flu cases.

Still, a summertime upper respiratory infection is likely something other than influenza. COVID-19, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), Lyme disease, bronchitis, and pneumonia can cause flu-like symptoms like fever, headache, congestion, and fatigue.

This article discusses summer flu and flu-like illnesses. It explains why you may get influenza in the summer and lists other illnesses that cause similar symptoms. It also provides tips for managing cold and flu symptoms in the summer heat.

How the Flu Season Has Changed

The influenza virus is always circulating in some part of the world.

In the United States, flu season traditionally runs from October to April and peaks between December and February. In the Southern Hemisphere, influenza is typically active from May to September.

However, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted global flu patterns, making worldwide flu activity less predictable:

• The 2020-2021 flu season was exceptionally mild—somewhat expected due to social distancing and masking.
• The 2021-2022 flu season started mild but began to pick up in mid-2022 around the globe. U.S. flu rates peaked in April, which is very late in the season. Unusually high influenza rates continued through June.
• The 2022-2023 flu season started much earlier than usual in the Southern Hemisphere, and the U.S. followed a similar pattern. However, Mexico, which typically follows a similar flu pattern as the U.S., had unseasonably high flu activity as late as June.
• The 2023-2024 flu season started early again in the Southern Hemisphere, and experts are closely monitoring flu activity in the states.

Only time will tell if flu seasons will return to standard pre-pandemic patterns. Until then, getting the flu in the summer will likely be more common than in the past.

Cold and Flu Doctor Discussion Guide

Get our printable guide for your next doctor's appointment to help you ask the right questions.

Download PDF

Sign up for our Health Tip of the Day newsletter, and receive daily tips that will help you live your healthiest life.

Email Address

Sign Up

You're in!

Thank you, {{form.email}}, for signing up.

There was an error. Please try again.

Summer Flu Symptoms

Symptoms of influenza are the same in the summer as they are in winter. They include:

• Fever or feeling feverish
• Body aches
• Cough
• Headache
• Chills
• Exhaustion and fatigue
• Congestion
• Vomiting and diarrhea (more common in children than adults) 

Flu symptoms typically last between three days and two weeks. People can be contagious the day before symptoms appear for up to a week. However, it's most contagious during the first three or four days of symptoms.

If you suspect you have the flu, contact your healthcare provider. Prescription antiviral medications can shorten the duration of the flu.

Other Summer Flu-Like Illnesses

Flu-like symptoms in the summertime are often caused by something other than influenza. These flu-like illnesses can cause body aches, fever, headaches, and upper respiratory symptoms.

The main difference between the flu and other viral respiratory infections is the onset of symptoms. Influenza symptoms tend to occur rapidly over the course of a few hours. Other respiratory infections, like the common cold, gradually build up over a few days.

Other viruses or bacteria can cause flu-like summer illnesses. Mosquitos and ticks can also transmit infections with flu-like symptoms.

Common Summer Infections

Summer flu-like symptoms are most likely a viral or bacterial infection. Possible common causes include:

• Bronchitis
• COVID-19
• Enteroviruses, such as coxsackievirus or rhinovirus (the common cold)
• Human metapneumovirus (hMPV) 
• Mononucleosis
• Parainfluenza
  
• Pneumonia
• Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)
  
• Strep throat

Insect-Borne Illnesses

Flu-like symptoms in the summer can also be caused by a mosquito or tick bite. Insect- or vector-borne illnesses are often linked to specific regions.

Let your healthcare provider know if you have flu-like symptoms and have recently traveled abroad or within the United States. Insect-borne illnesses that can cause flu-like symptoms include:

• Anaplasmosis
• Babesiosis 
• Chikungunya virus
• Lyme disease
• Malaria
• Rocky Mountain spotted fever
• Southern tick-associated rash illness (STARI)
  
• West Nile virus
• Zika virus
  

Your symptoms, along with your travel itinerary, can help your healthcare provider pinpoint a diagnosis. For example:

• High fever, chills, and flu-like symptoms with recent travel to Africa, Asia, or South or Central America could be malaria.
• A bull's-eye rash, fever, body aches, and other flu-like symptoms in New England or the Mid-Atlantic states could be Lyme disease.
• The same bull's-eye rash in Texas, however, could be the Lyme-like infection STARI, which also causes fever, fatigue, headache, and muscle pain.
• A high fever, headache, and vomiting in the Western, Southwestern, and Central states could be Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

When to See Your Healthcare Provider

If you suspect you have influenza, contact your healthcare provider. Antiviral medications can help reduce the severity and duration of symptoms and may prevent serious complications. Antivirals must be started within the first two days of symptoms, so don't delay.

The following factors may put you at higher risk of flu complications:

• Ages 5 and younger, especially those under age 2
• Ages 65 and older 
• Asthma
• Chronic kidney disease
• Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD)
• Diabetes
• Heart disease
• Liver or metabolic disorders
• Neurologic conditions, such as stroke
• Pregnancy
• Weak immune system
  

If you or your child develops flu-like symptoms and are at high risk of complications, contact your healthcare provider for guidance right away.

Other symptoms that should be evaluated by your healthcare provider include:

• A bull's-eye rash
• Cough that is severe, persists longer than 10 days, or returns after clearing up
• Ear pain that does not resolve with over-the-counter pain relievers
• Fever of 103 F or higher in adults that lasts three days
• Fever of 102.2 F in children under 1 year
• Fever of 102.2 F that lasts longer than 24 hours in children under 2
• Fever of 102.2 F that lasts longer than two days in children older than 2
• Rash that is spreading or covers large parts of the body
• Sore throat
• Swollen glands
  

When to Go to the ER

Seek emergency medical care if you or a loved one has any of the following symptoms:

• Breathing difficulty or shortness of breath
• Chest or abdominal pain or pressure that persists
• Confusion or altered mental state
• Fever of 105 F that does not come down with medication
• Inability to arouse or lack of alertness
• Lack of urination
• Persistent dizziness
• Seizures
• Severe headache
  
• Severe muscle pain
• Severe weakness or unsteadiness
• Stiff neck with a fever

Additional symptoms in children that warrant immediate medical care:

• Bluish lips or face
• Dehydration
• Fast or troubled breathing, such as ribs pulling in with each breath
• Fever above 104 F in children 3 months or older or a rectal temperature of 100.5 F or higher in infants younger than 12 weeks
• Unable to speak, see, walk, or move
  

Treating Summer Colds and Flu

The summer heat and humidity can make cold and flu symptoms feel more miserable. While symptoms can be managed with the same remedies you would use at other times of the year, summer presents some unique challenges.

Air Conditioning

Finding a comfortable air temperature can be hard when you have a fever in the summer.

If you have air conditioning, aim to set it just cool enough to keep you from sweating but not so cold it triggers chills. Shivering will raise your core body temperature, making a fever worse.

Air conditioning will also remove the humidity from the air, which can dry out congested sinuses and make breathing difficult. It may help to run the humidifier while you sleep.

Hydration

Keeping hydrated will help relieve congestion. Drink plenty of water and other fluids. Suck on ice pops or ice chips.

Common go-to cold remedies like tea with honey and lemon or chicken broth may not be appealing in the heat. Try them at room temperature or cool instead.

Electrolyte drinks, like Gatorade or Pedialyte, can also help keep you hydrated in the heat.

To keep your sinuses hydrated, use a saline nasal spray, rinse, or Neti pot and run the humidifier.

Medications

Summer flu symptoms can often be managed with over-the-counter cold and flu treatments such as:

• Antihistamines
• Cough medicine
• Decongestants
  
• Fever reducers
• Nasal sprays
• Pain relievers

In some cases, prescription medications may be needed. These may include:

• Antibiotics to treat a bacterial infection like strep throat, pneumonia, or Lyme disease
• Antimalarial drugs to treat malaria
• Antivirals to treat the flu or COVID
• Breathing treatments, such as a steroid inhaler or nebulizer
• Cough medicine to relieve bronchitis symptoms
• Other medications to manage symptoms or the underlying cause
  

Summary

Summer flu cases have been on the rise in recent years. Global flu patterns have become less predictable following the pandemic. As a result, more people get the flu in the summer than in years past.

Still, flu symptoms in the summer are more likely to be something other than the flu. Bronchitis, the common cold, COVID, and other viruses can cause flu-like symptoms. You can also get a flu-like illness from mosquitoes and ticks, such as Lyme disease, malaria, or Rocky Mountain spotted fever.

If you suspect you have the flu, contact your healthcare provider for advice. People at high risk of flu complications may benefit from antiviral medications, which must be started within two days of symptom onset.

Flu symptoms can feel more miserable in the summer heat. Drink extra fluid to stay hydrated. Air conditioning can help you to feel more comfortable. If you have a fever, set the A/C so it is cool enough to prevent sweating but not so cold you shiver.

OTC cold and flu medications can help to relieve summer flu symptoms. If symptoms persist or worsen, contact your healthcare provider.