Flu Activity Is High: Steps to Protect Yourself and Our Community

January 15, 2026

Dear Rutgers Community,

As we move through the heart of respiratory virus season, influenza activity remains very high across New Jersey. The New Jersey Department of Health reports sharp increases in flu cases, emergency department visits, hospital admissions, and test positivity statewide. Taken together, these trends remind us how important it is to care for ourselves and one another during this time of year.

Our priority is simple: we want you to be healthy, and we want our patients and communities to be healthy. Vaccination remains one of the most effective ways to protect against serious illness. Flu vaccines are proven to help prevent infection, reduce the severity of symptoms, and limit the spread of the virus. By getting vaccinated, you help protect not only yourself but also those who are most vulnerable—our patients, children, older adults, and individuals with underlying health conditions.

Flu Shots Are Available Statewide

Flu shots are readily available at local pharmacies and through your primary care provider, and COVID-19 vaccines are also available at most pharmacies across New Jersey. In addition, Occupational Health will offer free flu vaccines to all faculty and staff with a valid RU ID. Please visit the Occupational Health Flu Immunization webpage for details on vaccine availability, clinic dates, and locations.

As a reminder, all Covered Individuals are required to provide proof of seasonal flu vaccination unless they have a Rutgers-approved exemption. Flu vaccination documentation must be uploaded to the Influenza Vaccine Portal.

How to Protect Yourself from the Flu

In addition to vaccination, we ask everyone to continue practicing these important public health measures:

• Wash your hands frequently and practice good hand hygiene.
• Mask in clinical and other high-risk settings, particularly when caring for vulnerable populations.
• Speak with your supervisor and stay home if you are sick or experiencing symptoms of respiratory illness.
• Practice healthy habits, including eating a well-balanced diet, getting enough sleep, drinking fluids, and staying physically active to strengthen your immune system.

Thank you for all you do every day to care for others. By taking these steps, we help keep ourselves well and ensure the safest possible environment for our patients, learners, and colleagues across Rutgers.

Wishing you good health,

Vicente Gracias, MD
Senior Vice Chancellor for Clinical Affairs, Rutgers Health
Vice President for Health Affairs, Rutgers University

Robert L. Johnson, MD, FAAP 
Interim Chancellor, Rutgers Health
Dean, Rutgers New Jersey Medical School
Professor of Pediatrics
Director of Adolescent and Young Adult Medicine