Kansas Flu Shot Rate Hits Lowest Level Since 2019
Only 17.1% of Kansans have received a flu shot so far in the 2026-2027 season, according to state data.
Updated on Nov. 12, 2026 in COVID-19
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As of November 4, 2026, 497,791 Kansas residents, or 17.1% of the population, have received a flu shot this season. That is the lowest vaccination share recorded in the state since at least the 2019-2020 flu season.
Why it matters
Federal and state health officials recommend that most people be vaccinated by the end of October, and the Kansas Department of Health and Environment says flu shots should be given as long as flu viruses are circulating. With the season still under way, Kansans who have not yet been vaccinated still have time to get protection, since antibodies develop about two weeks after vaccination.
The 17.1% vaccination rate is drawn from vaccines reported to the Kansas Immunization Registry and is well below the 26.5% reached in the 2025-2026 season. Flu activity is currently low, with 0.3% of Kansas emergency visits linked to influenza in late October, compared with a 6.7% peak in December 2025, but how the season will unfold remains uncertain.
The players
Kansas Department of Health and Environment
The state agency responsible for public health in Kansas, which tracks flu vaccination and surveillance data and advises residents to get vaccinated while flu viruses are circulating.
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
The federal public health agency that publishes national influenza surveillance data, including the wastewater and emergency department figures cited in this report.
The details
The Kansas Wastewater Monitor showed influenza A and B concentrations were low as of October 30, 2026, and CDC data from November 6 shows wastewater flu levels remain very low nationally. Emergency department visits are low nationally but rising in many parts of the country.
Timeline
2019-2020 flu season: earliest season for which Kansas flu shot data is reported, with 27.2% vaccinated.
End of October 2026: recommended deadline for most people to receive the flu vaccine.
October 30, 2026: Kansas Wastewater Monitor reported low influenza concentrations.
November 4, 2026: 17.1% of Kansans recorded as vaccinated for flu this season.
November 6, 2026: CDC update reported very low national flu levels in wastewater.
Health Landscape
The low Kansas vaccination rate continues a pattern in which flu shot uptake has trailed earlier seasons, even as the CDC's wastewater monitoring shows national flu levels currently very low. The gap between this season's coverage and the 2019-2020 baseline offers a measure of how far routine flu vaccination has slipped since the pandemic years.
Kansans who have not yet had a flu shot can still get one, since protection begins to develop about two weeks after vaccination and the vaccine remains recommended while flu viruses circulate. Because local flu activity is currently low, the main effect for most residents is the chance to get protected before any increase in illness.
The takeaway
Getting a flu shot now still offers useful protection for the rest of the season, since antibodies take about two weeks to build after vaccination. Kansans who are unsure whether they are current on their flu shot can check with a health provider before the season's peak.
Further reading
For a broader view of how respiratory illness is tracked across the region, see the COVID-19 coverage on Kansas health trends.
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