Despite being widely associated with winter, a wave of so-called ‘summer flu’ appears to be sweeping across the UK, with many people taking to social media to share their symptoms and frustrations.
Although summer officially starts on June 21, users across platforms such as X (formerly Twitter) are already reporting flu-like illnesses that have struck in recent days.
“Told a G only idiots catch cold in summer — bro woke up with a sore throat and flu today,” one user posted.
Another simply wrote: “Summer flu is here.”
Can You Get the Flu in Spring or Summer?
According to Healthline, while the flu is most common during autumn and winter, it can strike during spring and summer too — especially as viruses continue to circulate in warmer months.
“Despite the seasonality of influenza activity, many people experience flu-like symptoms during the summer,” their experts state.
This flu-like illness could be caused by off-season influenza, or other respiratory viruses that mimic flu symptoms, such as RSV, rhinovirus, or COVID-19 variants.
Symptoms of Summer Flu
The symptoms are similar to winter flu and may include:
While it’s not always serious, medical professionals recommend rest, hydration, and over-the-counter medications. Those experiencing severe symptoms or with underlying conditions should consult a GP.
What’s Causing It?
Doctors speculate that changing weather patterns, indoor air-conditioning, and weakened immune systems after long periods without exposure may contribute to out-of-season respiratory infections.
Public health authorities have not yet confirmed any widespread outbreak, but Google search trends show a sharp rise in queries related to “summer flu UK 2025”.
