RUTHERFORD COUNTY, TN (WGNS) - Flu is on the rise in Rutherford County, and the timing couldn’t be more typical for Tennessee. Fresh reporting shows that Rutherford County now sits in the “Moderate” flu zone, with cases climbing across the Nashville–Murfreesboro–Franklin MSA. About 5.2 percent of residents in our region are reporting influenza‑like illness — a noticeable jump for this point in the season. State health officials say flu activity is increasing statewide, and since Tennessee usually sees its highest flu numbers in January and February, this uptick is right on schedule.

And of course, germs don’t care about county lines. People live in one county, work in another, shop in another, and visit family in yet another. When viruses are circulating, they move right along with us.

Flu Surge in Coffee County

That’s why what’s happening in Coffee County has caught so much attention here; it is an adjacent county.

Coffee County is seeing a clear rise in flu activity, and the ripple effects are showing up in a very public way. Both Coffee County Schools and Manchester City Schools closed after illness-related absences pushed attendance below the 90‑percent mark. Officials there described “a lot of flu, some COVID, and a lot of strep throat,” a combination that swept through classrooms fast enough to shut down multiple schools. Schools in neighboring Coffee County were closed last Thursday and Friday due to cases of flu.

Tennessee remains one of the states with the highest flu activity in the country, and statewide data shows flu‑related outpatient visits jumping to nearly seven percent in a single week — a sign of widespread transmission.

So yes, adjacent Coffee County is very much in the same surge zone as Rutherford County, and in some ways, the school closures make the increase even more visible to families there. While Rutherford County hasn’t reached that level of disruption, the rise in cases is real, and the situation next door is a reminder of how quickly things can shift.

Get Flu Vaccination

Health officials continue to emphasize that it is not too late to get a flu vaccination. The CDC is clear: flu shots should be offered as long as influenza viruses are circulating, and Tennessee is still in an active flu period. With both Rutherford and Coffee counties seeing increases, vaccination remains useful.

And the good news is that scientists appear to have “hit it right” with this year’s flu vaccine. The CDC’s latest effectiveness report shows that the current vaccine is a strong match for the strains circulating this season. In adults, the vaccine is providing roughly 36 to 54 percent protection against flu that leads to outpatient visits and 41 to 55 percent protection against hospitalization. In children, protection ranges from 32 to 60 percent in outpatient settings and 63 to 78 percent against hospitalization. Nearly all sequenced viruses this season have been well matched to the vaccine, and that's about as good as flu vaccines get.

Even late in the season, the flu shot still helps. It can reduce your chance of getting sick, make illness milder if you do catch the flu, lower the risk of hospitalization, and help slow community spread. Since Tennessee often sees flu activity into March, there’s still meaningful benefit.

FLU and COVID Interactions

There’s also the question many people are asking: how do flu and COVID interact? The CDC confirms that co‑infection is possible, though uncommon, and when it happens, illness tends to be more severe. Having flu doesn’t cause COVID, and COVID doesn’t cause flu, but both viruses weaken the immune system, especially in the respiratory tract. That weakened state can make it easier for a second virus to take hold if you’re exposed. A recent meta‑analysis found that about 14 percent of COVID‑positive patients also had influenza A or B, and those co‑infected patients experienced worse respiratory outcomes and higher hospitalization risk. They don’t trigger each other, but they can pile on — and when they do, the illness is harder.

It’s also not too late to get a COVID vaccination. The CDC recommends vaccination as long as the virus is circulating, and COVID is still active in Tennessee. Even late‑season vaccination can reduce the risk of severe illness, hospitalization, and long COVID, with protection developing within about two weeks. This season’s COVID vaccine is performing solidly, offering meaningful protection against serious outcomes, especially in older adults.

So the bottom line for Rutherford County right now is simple: flu is rising, COVID is circulating, co‑infection is possible and more severe, and both vaccines still offer real protection — even late in the season. With Coffee County’s surge right next door and flu activity increasing across Middle Tennessee, this is a good moment for families, schools, and workplaces to stay alert and take advantage of the tools that help keep our community healthy.