Walgreens Flu Index Tracks Four Consecutive Weeks of Increased Flu Activity

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Walgreens Flu Index Tracks Four Consecutive Weeks of Increased Flu Activity

2025-02-14 20:00 Last Updated At：20:11

DEERFIELD, Ill.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Feb 14, 2025--

The Walgreens Flu Index has tracked its fourth consecutive week of increasing flu activity, with most states across the country experiencing high levels of flu. Overall, U.S. flu activity over the last four weeks is significantly higher when compared to the same time last year – flu activity from the week ending February 8, 2025, was 204% higher compared to the week ending February 10, 2024.

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The Walgreens Flu Index is an online, interactive tool that tracks weekly flu activity based on flu-related prescription data across the company’s community pharmacy locations nationwide. Index data is updated every Tuesday and allows users to search by market or state to see where their geographic area ranks for flu activity. Data from the week ending February 8, 2025, shows the top five states with flu activity are Oklahoma, Mississippi, Tennessee, Arkansas and Texas.

“What’s most concerning is not the number of cases but the number of hospitalizations and outpatient visits that we are seeing,” said Anita Pael, vice president of pharmacy services development at Walgreens. “I don’t believe cases have peaked yet, so it’s critical for people to remember to wash their hands frequently, and if you’re feeling symptoms, get tested right away.” If you know you have the flu, antiviral drugs can help to feel better faster but need to be started right away.

Recent data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention indicate that this flu season is the most intense in 15 years. The percentage of flu-symptom-driven doctors’ visits is higher than the peak of any winter flu season since 2009-2010. 1

Is it too late to get protected with a flu vaccine? As flu activity continues to increase across the country, it’s not too late to get an annual flu shot. Getting vaccinated remains the best way to reduce the risk of flu-related hospitalization and doctor visits. Walgreens offers flu, and other routine vaccinations nationwide. * To schedule a vaccination appointment, visit Walgreens.com/ScheduleVaccine. Walgreens offers flexible openings, including nights and weekends, and same-day appointments and walk-ins are welcome. Vaccines are covered by most insurance plans.

What if I have symptoms and think I may have the flu? For individuals who are experiencing symptoms, Walgreens remains the one-stop-shop for all respiratory virus season needs. Walgreens offers a variety of convenient, low-cost options for flu testing, including an easy combination test for influenza A/B and COVID-19 with results in 30 minutes or less. At-home tests, along with over-the-counter medicine cabinet essentials, are available for delivery in as little as 1 hour. And for those who don’t feel well enough to leave home, Walgreens offers a virtual healthcare service and Same Day Prescription Delivery.

As respiratory illness season evolves, Walgreens pharmacists remain one of the most accessible, trusted healthcare providers across communities. Individuals can talk to their Walgreens pharmacist to learn more about how they can stay safe and get the care they need, all season long.

About Walgreens

Founded in 1901, Walgreens ( www.walgreens.com ) has a storied heritage of caring for communities for generations, and proudly serves nearly 9 million customers and patients each day across its approximately 8,500 stores throughout the U.S. and Puerto Rico, and leading omni-channel platforms. Walgreens has approximately 220,000 team members, including nearly 90,000 healthcare service providers, and is committed to being the first choice for retail pharmacy and health services, building trusted relationships that create healthier futures for customers, patients, team members and communities.

Walgreens is the flagship U.S. brand of Walgreens Boots Alliance, Inc. (Nasdaq: WBA), an integrated healthcare, pharmacy and retail leader. Its retail locations are a critical point of access and convenience in thousands of communities, with Walgreens pharmacists playing a greater role as part of the healthcare system and patients’ care teams than ever before. Walgreens Specialty Pharmacy provides critical care and pharmacy services to millions of patients with rare disease states and complex, chronic conditions.

1 Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Weekly US Influenza Surveillance Report: Key Updates for Week 5, ending February 1, 2025.” February 7, 2025. https://www.cdc.gov/fluview/surveillance/2025-week-05.html

* In some states, a prescription from a healthcare provider is required to receive an RSV vaccine at Walgreens.

Fernando Mendoza wins the Heisman Trophy as college football's top player

NEW YORK (AP) — Fernando Mendoza, the enthusiastic quarterback of No. 1 Indiana, won the Heisman Trophy on Saturday night, becoming the first Hoosier to win college football’s most prestigious award since its inception in 1935.

Mendoza claimed 2,362 points, including 643 first-place votes. He beat Vanderbilt quarterback Diego Pavia (1,435 points), Notre Dame running back Jeremiyah Love (719 points) and Ohio State quarterback Julian Sayin (432 points).

Mendoza’s Heisman win was emphatic. He finished first in all six Heisman regions, the first to do so since Caleb Williams in 2022. He was named on 95.16% of all ballots, tying him with Marcus Mariota in 2014 for the second highest in the award’s history and he received 84.6% of total possible points, which is the seventh highest in Heisman history.

“I haven’t seen the numbers yet,” said Mendoza, "but it’s such an honor to be mentioned with these guys (Pavia, Love and Sayin). It's really a credit to our team. It’s a team award.”

Mendoza guided the Hoosiers to their first No. 1 ranking and the top seed in the 12-team College Football bracket, throwing for 2,980 yards and a national-best 33 touchdown passes while also running for six scores. Indiana, the last unbeaten team in major college football, will play a College Football Playoff quarterfinal game in the Rose Bowl on Jan. 1.

Mendoza, the Hoosiers’ first-year starter after transferring from California, is the triggerman for an offense that surpassed program records for touchdowns and points set during last season’s surprise run to the CFP.

A redshirt junior, the once lightly recruited Miami native is the second Heisman finalist in school history, joining 1989 runner-up Anthony Thompson. Mendoza is the seventh Indiana player to earn a top-10 finish in Heisman balloting and it marks another first in program history — having back-to-back players in the top 10. Hoosiers quarterback Kurtis Rourke was ninth last year.

With his teammates chanting “HeismanDoza” as he addressed the media, he said there felt like a realistic chance of winning the Heisman when the Hoosiers routed then No. 19 Illinois 63-10 on Sept. 20.

“At that point my boys (teammates) said we might make it to New York (for the award ceremony)," he said. "It was lighthearted at the time, but that’s when it started. "

Quarterbacks have won the Heisman four of the last five years, with two-way player Travis Hunter of Colorado ending the run last season.

Mendoza is the 43rd quarterback to win the Heisman and the second winner of Latin American descent to claim the trophy. Stanford’s Jim Plunkett was the first in 1970.

“Although I grew up in America, my four grandparents are all from Cuba," he said. “I had the opportunity to go there and that was important to me. I credit the love to my grandparents and the Hispanic community.”

The Heisman Trophy presentation came after a number of accolades were already awarded. Mendoza was named The Associated Press player of the year earlier this week and picked up the Maxwell and Davey O’Brien awards Friday night while Love won the Doak Walker Award.

Mendoza and Pavia clearly exemplify the changing landscape of using the transfer portal in college football. Mendoza is the seventh transfer to win the award in the last nine years. Vanderbilt is Pavia’s third school.

Pavia finished second with 189 first-place votes. He threw for a school-record 3,192 yards and 27 touchdowns for the Commodores, who were pushing for a CFP berth all the way to the bracket announcement. He is the first Heisman finalist in Vanderbilt history.

Generously listed as 6 feet tall, Pavia led Vanderbilt to its first 10-win season along with six wins against Southeastern Conference foes. That includes four wins over ranked programs as Vandy reached No. 9, its highest ranking in The Associated Press Top 25 since 1937.

Pavia went from being unrecruited out of high school to junior college, New Mexico State and finally Vanderbilt in 2024 through the transfer portal.

Vandy next plays in the ReliaQuest Bowl against Iowa on Dec. 31.

The last running back to win the Heisman was Alabama’s Derrick Henry in 2015. Love put himself in the mix with an outstanding season for Notre Dame. He finished with 46 first-place votes.

The junior from St. Louis was fourth in the Bowl Subdivision in yards rushing (1,372), fifth in per-game average (114.3) and third with 18 rushing touchdowns for the Fighting Irish, who missed out on a CFP bid and opted not to play in a bowl game.

He was the first player in Notre Dame’s storied history to produce multiple TD runs of 90 or more yards, a 98-yarder against Indiana in the first round of last year’s playoffs and a 94-yarder against Boston College earlier this season.

Sayin led the Buckeyes to a No. 1 ranking for most of the season, throwing for 3,329 yards while tying for second in the country with 31 TD passes ahead of their CFP quarterfinal at the Cotton Bowl on Dec. 31.

The sophomore from Carlsbad, California, arrived at Ohio State after initially committing to Alabama and entering the transfer portal following a coaching change. He played four games last season before winning the starting job. He led the Buckeyes to a 14-7 win in the opener against preseason No. 1 Texas and kept the team atop the AP Top 25 for 13 straight weeks, tying its second-longest run.

Sayin follows a strong lineage of Ohio State quarterbacks since coach Ryan Day arrived in 2017. Dwayne Haskins (2018), Justin Fields (2019), C.J. Stroud (2021), and Kyle McCord (2023) averaged 3,927 passing yards, 40 TDs, and six interceptions, along with a 68.9% completion rate during their first seasons.

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