Jan 27, 2026
3 min read
The flu seems to have passed, but the end of the epidemic will continue until the end of February.
The top of the disease is gone, but the end of the illness will continue until the end of February.Until May, it's been regarded to the 16 millia has Italy is the illness, a near 2 million children.Check schools and Kindergarten school, in the center of the
The 2026 flu season has already affected 9.2 million Italians, with cases steadily increasing in recent weeks.Although the peak recorded in December now appears to have passed, experts warn that the end of the epidemic will last at least until the end of February, with around 5 million new cases expected.The flu doesn't affect everyone equally: according to ISS tracking, 30% of reported acute respiratory infections are attributed to the real flu, which causes severe symptoms and, in some cases, pneumonia and hospitalization.Complications such as admissions, particularly in the elderly and vulnerable.By May, the epidemic could affect 16 million people, including nearly 2 million children under the age of 14, making prevention and contact management in nurseries and schools an important priority to limit the spread of the virus.
ISS regional influenza trends: Campania doubled the national average, the Basilicata stable, Puglia increased
According to the RespiVirNet surveillance of the Istituto Superiore di Sanità (ISS), the average incidence of influenza in Italy decreased in the latest study to 12.7 cases per 1,000 assisted in the third week of 2026, after the peak recorded in December, but the circulation of respiratory viruses, especially in young children, remains significant.
The situation is not uniform across the entire territory: Campania has recorded the highest figure for weeks with 23.7 cases per 1000 people assisted, which is almost double the national average, while Basilicata remains stable at 21.8, confirming itself in a very high intensity range.On the other hand, Puglia shows a significant increase, reaching 20.9 cases per 1000 patients, almost 5 points more than last week.
Other regions show above-average values: Sardinia with 18.4, Abruzzo with 17.3 and the autonomous province of Bolzano and Sicily with 13.1 cases per 1,000 people benefited.These data show that, although the national average is decreasing, some regions continue to record a high circulation of the virus with a great impact on handling, prevention and local health measures.
Children, schools and kindergartens: the main means of transmission of influenza
Children represent the main sources of influenza, both because of their high susceptibility and their daily behavior, such as going to schools and nurseries, which become an environment particularly susceptible to infection.The problem was recently highlighted by the parents of Matteo Giunta and Federica Pellegrini, who are worried about their 2-year-old daughter, who was hospitalized in December with a febrile seizure.Giunta expressed her concern on social media, emphasizing the dangers of sending sick children to daycare, which sparked controversy on social media.
The virologist Fabrizio Pregliasco, director of the School of Health and Prevention of the State University of Milan and medical director of the Irccs Galeazzi-Sant'Ambrogio hospital clarified this idea: the principle expressed by parents is correct, because sick children in kindergarten become a "living bomb" capable of quickly spreading the virus.Pregliasco added that because of this, how children are often sent to school or work even though they are sick.Before the epidemic, it was common to see the "flu myth": those who self-medicate and go to the office and spread the virus.The situation of children is even more delicate: their high sensitivity to their spread makes them effective "diseases", even if apparently treated with symptomatic drugs." In an ideal world, the advice is to leave children at home as long as they have symptoms - Pregliasco - but in Italy there is a social problem that makes it difficult for parents to choose where to go or leave at school.
The doctor also explains the phenomenon of febrile convulsions, which can occur in children with high fever: "It is a reaction related to hyperpyrexia, more common in children because their immune response is stronger and faster than in adults and the elderly. For parents, it is important to act clearly: in addition to administering anticonvulsants, the body must be reduced by using a cold task using alcohol, reduced with alcohol. which requires a lot of attention and responsibility.
How to protect yourself: vaccination, diet and good hygiene
In addition to flu vaccinations, experts recommend behavioral and nutritional strategies to support the immune system and reduce the spread of the virus.Camilla Pizzoni, General Director of Pool Pharma, shows the importance of feeding the intestinal microbiota in the right way, which is fundamental for the protection of the body's tissues: "Microbiota is a strong 'orientation' that must be supported with nutrition. It is highly processed in industrial food and refined sugar disrupts its balance. "Whole foods, fruits and dried yogurt and foods like this yogurtdry.intestinal environment".
In cases where food alone is not enough, probiotics can provide additional support: "The body, which is tested by temperature changes and reduced light hours, can benefit from probiotic supplements to maintain the health of the gut, an essential organ that can be said to be a 'second brain'," adds Pizzoni.
At the behavioral level, transmission is mainly airborne through sneezing and coughing, but contact with contaminated surfaces such as doorknobs, smartphones, bar tables or public transport should not be underestimated.
Helpful ways to reduce risk include:
These combined strategies - vaccination, targeted food and hygiene behavior - represent the most effective tools to prevent the flu and reduce the spread of daily contact, especially in children and schools, where the virus finds fertile ground to spread quickly.
