Flu, Covid Cases Climb in New York

Roughly 4,000 New Yorkers have the flu and about 2,300 have covid, with case counts expected to keep rising.

Updated on Nov. 4, 2026 in Pregnancy

Live Poll

Do you plan to get a flu vaccine this season?

Approximately 4,000 people in New York have the flu, and about 2,300 have covid. Flu and covid case numbers are expected to continue climbing.

Why it matters

Pregnant women and young children have weaker immune systems, leaving them at greater risk from flu. Vaccination remains the first and most important step to protect against the illness.

Babies under six months old cannot be vaccinated against flu, so protection depends on vaccinating pregnant women, who can pass antibodies to the baby through breast milk. A flu vaccine does not affect the ability to breastfeed.

The players

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention

The federal public health agency that issues vaccination recommendations for the U.S. population, including guidance on flu shots during pregnancy.

The details

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends flu vaccination during any trimester of pregnancy, and decades of research support its safety. Vaccination is the first and most important action to protect against the flu.

Women's Health Wednesday segment on flu precautions published November 4, 2026

Health Landscape

The CDC's recommendation that flu vaccination be given during any trimester of pregnancy reflects decades of safety research that now guides obstetric care nationwide. New York's rising flu and covid counts put that longstanding guidance back in focus as respiratory illness season builds.

Pregnant women in New York can ask their health care provider about getting a flu shot in any trimester of pregnancy. Breastfeeding mothers who are vaccinated can pass protective antibodies to their babies through breast milk.

The takeaway

Pregnant women should talk with their health care provider about flu vaccination in any trimester, since it protects both mother and the infant who cannot yet be vaccinated. Vaccination is the most effective step available as case counts climb.