Flu visits in Virginia are running well ahead of last fall’s pace, and Lee County enters the season with some of the lowest flu shot rates in the state, based on the latest full season of data. That is what the Virginia Department of Health’s own data show, as pulled for the county by The Lee Daily Register.
In the week of Oct. 11 to 17, emergency rooms and urgent care centers across Virginia logged 1,273 visits with a flu diagnosis, up 18% from the week before, according to VDH’s latest weekly respiratory report. In the same week of last season, Oct. 5 to 11, 2025, the count was 324, according to the report for that week. That makes this year’s figure about four times higher. Lab-confirmed flu results were 475 for the week, compared with 22 a year earlier.
The same report puts those numbers in context. It says flu visits were not significantly elevated compared with a baseline of previous weeks, and no flu-related child deaths had been reported in Virginia this season. COVID-19 visits, at 1,005 for the week, held steady but stayed significantly elevated. RSV visits were still low, at 59.
What the numbers show closer to home
VDH does not publish weekly flu counts for Lee County alone. It groups the county into its Southwest region, along with the rest of the LENOWISCO district, according to the agency’s locality and region list. In the week ending Oct. 17, respiratory illness made up 11.7% of emergency room visits in that region, a level VDH rates as low, according to the state’s respiratory activity data. That share was 12.5% the week before and 11.7% in the matching week of 2025.
The region also sent 43 of the state’s 475 positive flu lab results that week and reported one respiratory outbreak, tied to the COVID-19 virus.
Lee County’s shot rates trail the state
The clearest county-level numbers come from Virginia’s vaccine registry. In VDH’s downloadable vaccination file, the newest rows, posted Oct. 20, carry only partial counts and no rates, so this story uses 2024-25, the latest season with full Lee County figures.
That season, 33.5% of Lee County residents 65 and older got a flu shot, or 1,717 people. By The Lee Daily Register’s count from the same file, that was the fourth-lowest rate among Virginia’s 133 counties and cities. By the same count, the statewide rate for seniors was 56.4%. One season earlier, 48.8% of Lee County seniors were vaccinated, which means 782 fewer older residents got a shot in 2024-25.
| Measure | Lee County | Virginia |
|---|---|---|
| Flu shot, all ages (2024-25) | 15.8% | 29.3% |
| Flu shot, ages 65 and older (2024-25) | 33.5% | 56.4% |
| COVID-19 shot, ages 65 and older (2024-25) | 6.7% | 33.6% |
| RSV shot on record, ages 75 and older* | 12.7% | 32.7% |
Neighboring counties look similar: by the same method, Scott County’s all-ages flu rate was also 15.8% and Wise County’s was 17.3%. The RSV rates come from VDH’s RSV immunization file. These numbers count only shots recorded in the Virginia Immunization Information System. VDH says on its respiratory data page that health care providers have had to report shots there since January 2022.
Where to get a shot in Lee County
The Lee County Health Department is at 134 Hill St. in Jonesville, and its phone number is (276) 346-2011. According to the LENOWISCO Health District’s website, services are by appointment and the district asks people to call before they come in. The Jonesville office takes no walk-ins on Thursdays. It is open until evening on the first Monday of each month, which next falls on Nov. 2. The district’s pages give two different closing times for that evening, 7:30 and 8 p.m., so call first.
Flu shots there are not free for everyone. The district’s immunization page says flu and pneumonia vaccines are offered for a fee, but it does not list a price. Its services guide says free or lower-cost vaccines may be available for children and adults based on income. For COVID-19 shots, the district’s vaccine page tells people to call the health department for an appointment.
Doctors and pharmacies are another route. In a Sept. 29 release, district officials urged everyone 6 months and older to ask their doctor or a local pharmacy about getting a flu shot early. Reisa Sloce, director of the Cumberland Plateau and LENOWISCO health districts, said that in rural areas, where care can mean a long drive, “preventing illness is especially important.” The same release says it is safe to get the flu and COVID-19 vaccines at the same time.
Timing and what is still unclear
Flu season usually runs from early October to late May and most often peaks in January or February, according to the district. VDH warned in September that vaccine supply could vary while shipments continue.
Residents looking for a set clinic day will have to ask. As of Oct. 27, the district’s website and its Sept. 29 release list no community flu clinic dates for Lee County, and the district’s Facebook page could not be opened for this story. VDH refreshes its statewide respiratory numbers every Tuesday.
