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The flu vaccine this year is targeting the H3N2 strain known as subclade J.2. Since development of that vaccine, a newer variant called subclade K has emerged.
Despite the new variant, the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services is urging residents to get the latest vaccine, pointing to the UK as proof of its effectiveness. The UK is experiencing an earlier and more intense start to its flu season.
The state points out that the vaccine, even with the new variant, is providing protection in the UK and is reducing serious outcomes there, preventing 70–75 percent of flu-related hospital visits for children and 30–40 percent for adults.
“The flu vaccine may not prevent mild illness, but data shows it reduces severe complications of influenza, including hospitalization,” Dr. Natasha Bagdasarian, Michigan’s chief medical executive, said in a statement. “Getting a flu vaccine now is a great way to boost your immunity against influenza through the winter months, when we tend to see even more cases.”
The Michigan Respiratory Virus Immunization Statewide Summary says that influenza vaccine coverage in Michigan for the 2025–2026 season is low at 18 percent, meaning only about one in six people are vaccinated.
