An image of a woman blowing her nose with the text Flu Season Updates December 2025

Minnesota Flu Season Updates & Insights – December 2025

December 26, 2025

Winter is here, bringing cold temperatures, snowy days, and—unfortunately—the flu.

Each year the flu hits a little differently, with some strains far more vicious than others. So I was curious…how is this year looking for the flu?

To find out more, I connected with Andrea Green, RN, the Infection Prevention Specialist at Cook Hospital, to gain a little more insight into how the flu season is unrolling this year—as well as some practical guidance for staying healthy.

Here’s what she had to say:

Flu Season Updates: December 2025

Typically, the flu season tends to spike more in December/January, which we are noticing this year as well. There have been a few outbreaks throughout the state of Minnesota in schools (35) as well as some long-term care facilities (5). Most of the cases this year are Influenza A.

Note: The state of Minnesota shares up to date flu season stats on their website.

Tell us more about the flu. Isn’t it just a bad cold?

Colds are typically caused by a group of viruses called rhinoviruses. (Fun fact: there are over 200 types of rhinovirus.) The flu is caused by the influenza virus.

There are a lot of similar symptoms. However, we often see that influenza tends to have a sudden onset, whereas a cold is more gradual. Influenza is also accompanied by a high fever (100F and above) and chills in most cases.

What symptoms should prompt someone to stay home, call their provider, or seek care?

If you have a fever, you should definitely stay home.

For symptoms like coughing, etc., we recommend that you use your best judgment. Individuals are often contagious for 1-2 weeks, and a case of influenza that seems mild for one person could be extremely dangerous to another.

If your symptoms are severe, don’t hesitate to seek care! Although there’s no medication that can “cure” the influenza, medical professionals can support some of the side effects of the virus (high fevers, dehydration, etc.).

Let’s talk about those at-risk populations

At-risk populations (children, the immunocompromised, those who are pregnant, and those who are 65 and older) may want to seek medical care earlier than others.

What are the most effective steps parents of school children can take to keep their kids and families safe this year?

Hand washing! Wash your kids’ toys and items that go back and forth from school. Keep your children home if they have fevers or are showing symptoms.

If someone in the household gets the flu, what can families do to reduce the spread at home?

Again, handwashing is key. A few other tips:

  • Remember to cover your cough
  • Don’t share cups/ utensils
  • Frequently clean high touch areas
  • Try to isolate in a separate area, if possible

Can the flu shot give someone the flu?

Flu vaccines cannot cause flu illness. Flu vaccines given with a needle (i.e., flu shots) are made with either inactivated (killed) viruses, or with only a single protein from an influenza virus

The nasal spray vaccine contains live viruses that are attenuated (weakened) so that they will not cause illness. (per the CDC)

For those who may be “late” getting vaccinated, is there still a benefit to getting the flu shot later in the season?

It’s never too late to get one! Flu season is generally October through March (which is over half the year), so there is still lots of time!

What does infection prevention look like inside the hospital this time of year?

We monitor closely for staff/residents/patients who have any flu-like symptoms. We test more frequently and encourage COVID/flu vaccines for those who live and work here. We encourage those who don’t feel well—staff and visitors—to please stay home, unless you are here to seek medical care.

I also really like to encourage people to wear a mask even if they just have a sniffle. Sometimes symptoms don’t show up as strongly in some people as they do others.

Any final reminders or simple habits you wish everyone would adopt during flu season?

Back to the basics: wash your hands, cover your cough, and stay home if you don’t feel well!

And as always, you can visit your primary care provider, an urgent care facility, or our hospital ER (open 24/7) if you need medical support.

About Amy Kemp, OTR/L, Occupation Therapy Supervisor

Amy graduated from St. Scholastica in 2017 with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology.  She then went on to graduate again from St. Scholastica in 2020 with her Master of Science in Occupational Therapy degree.  After graduation, she began working at the Cook Hospital and has been here for 4 years.

She enjoys having the opportunity that rural health provides to work with individuals across the lifespan.  Since starting at the Cook Hospital, Amy has become a Certified Lymphedema Therapist (CLT) and has been certified in LSVT-BIG for Parkinson’s Disease and other populations.  

In her free time, Amy enjoys the outdoors, being at the lake, reading, and spending time with her family. She is looking forward to continuing her career here at the Cook Hospital and welcomes all new patients.

 

About Carrie Rahikainen, PTA/L

Carrie is a 1992 graduate of the College of St. Scholastica where she earned her Bachelor’s  degree in Natural Science and minor in Psychology.  She continued her education at Lake Superior College where she earned her A.A.S. degree as a Physical Therapist Assistant in 1996. 

For the first four years after obtaining her degrees, Carrie and her husband lived and worked in Wausau, WI.  While in Wausau, she worked in various units specializing in long-term care, out-patient Orthopedics, in-patient and out-patient Psychology, specialized Dementia and Alzheimer’s units, and an Early Intervention/Pediatric Program. 

They then returned to the Iron Range, where both she and her husband were born and raised.  When returning to the area, Carrie was employed by St. Louis County Schools/Northland Special Education Cooperative.  For six years, she provided physical therapy services in various independent school districts, working with children from birth through the age of 21.

In February, 2006 she began her employment at the Cook Hospital and Rehabilitation and is a full-time employee.  Since starting her position at the Cook Hospital, she has been expanding her Physical Therapy skills by attending a variety of courses focusing on such things as Strain-Counter-strain Technique for pain management, Vestibular Rehabilitation, Therapeutic Exercise for the Geriatric Spine,  Manual treatment of the Lumbar Spine, and Kinesio-taping.

Carrie lives in Britt with her husband and three children, ages nine, ten, and twelve.  In her free time, she enjoys cross country skiing, reading, and supporting her children with their extra-curricular activities such as volleyball, basketball, baseball and Scouting.  As a family, they enjoy spending time on their pontoon boat, camping, hunting, and various types of fishing.

 

About Brian McCarthy, PT

Brian began working in Physical Therapy in 1984 as an enlisted member of the U.S. Air Force. After an honorable discharge in 1988 returned to Duluth, MN where he attended ST. Scholastica and eventually PT school at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse where he graduated in 1993 with honors.

He then began work as a PT at St. Mary’s “Center Therapy” in Duluth in Occupational Medicine, Chronic Pain Management, Orthopedic-Spine, and the Adult Neuro-Rehab departments. In 1996, Brian began working as a contract therapist traveling within the Northern Midwest. During this time he worked in home care, private practice, and out-patient orthopedic settings. His last assignment in 1998 lead him to Cook where he continues to work as the Director of Rehabilitation and physical therapist.

Brian’s career goals are to be well-rounded in all areas of physical therapy, but is especially interested in manual therapy techniques related to orthopedics conditions and wound care interventions. Brian is an active member of the American Physical Therapy Association, National Ski Patrol, and hospitals wound care team. Brian has attended, and continues to attend, yearly continuing education in the field of Physical Therapy and wound care to bring the most current and up-to-date treatment methodologies to the patients he treats.

About Stephanie Elling, PT, DPT, CIMT

Stephanie graduated from The College of St. Scholastica in 2013 with a Bachelor’s degree in Exercise Physiology and again in 2016 with a Doctorate degree in Physical Therapy.

After graduation she worked at a private practice in Cloquet, MN in outpatient orthopedics for over two years. Here she gained experience in post-surgical care, manual therapy, return to sport training, and aquatic rehab. Then she transitioned into travel therapy and completed contracts across Minnesota, Wisconsin and Florida in skilled nursing, memory care, pediatrics, acute care at critical access hospitals, and multiple outpatient clinics treating a wide range of orthopedic and neurological conditions.

Stephanie has additional training in TMJ, headaches, sports rehab, dementia care, pediatrics, kinesiotape and manual therapy techniques. Stephanie has a passion for rural healthcare and enjoys working with patients of all ages and diagnoses.

She is excited to join the rehabilitation team at Cook Hospital and looks forward to getting to serve to Cook community and surrounding areas.