Pro Cleaning Tips for the 2025-26 Cold & Flu Season

As winter approaches and holiday travel picks up, cold and influenza (“flu”) virus activity is low but rising.¹ Experts predict another active cold and flu season this year.² For cleaning professionals, preparation is essential to keep schools and offices healthy. This year’s challenges include influenza, RSV, COVID-19, pertussis and norovirus, all of which thrive in shared spaces.

What’s on the horizon?

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While cold and flu are relatively quiet as of December 5, they are rising and expected to continue to increase through the holiday season.³ Last year’s flu season was the worst in over a decade, however.⁴ Historically, back-to-back high-severity seasons have never been observed.^4,5 Although it’s difficult to predict what the flu will do, in August of this year, the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) predicted a moderate flu season this year.⁵ However, a new H3N2 strain called ‘subclade K’ has emerged, with cases already identified in the U.S.⁶ While this variant differs from the strain targeted by the current vaccine, the shot still offers significant protection against more severe disease, especially for children, where effectiveness is estimated at 70–75%, and about 30–40% for adults.⁶

Unfortunately, vaccination rates remain low. Last season, fewer than half of U.S. children and adults were vaccinated.⁷ This gap leaves schools and workplaces vulnerable. As of December 5, flu activity is low but increasing with the biggest increases being seen in the Northeastern and Mountain West areas of the country. Children and young adults have been the most impacted. Overall, respiratory virus activity is currently low but rising and is expected to continue to increase through the holiday season.³ Beyond influenza, other notable respiratory pathogens include, but are not limited to the following:

• Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV): Although at the national level RSV activity is low, it is increasing in the Southeastern, Southern, and Mid-Atlantic areas of the country, particularly in young children.^1,3,8,9 Encouragingly, a new vaccine has reduced severe cases in infants.¹⁰
• SARS-CoV-2 (the virus responsible for COVID-19): Activity is very low, and experts expect similar hospitalization levels to those of last year. However, new variants could change things quickly.^3,8,9
• Pertussis or “Whooping Cough”: Last year, the U.S. experienced a six-fold increase in pertussis cases compared to 2023.¹¹ While cases have been trending down since a peak in November 2024, they remain considerably higher in 2025 compared to pre-pandemic levels. These increases are occurring amid fluctuating vaccination rates.^11,12
• Norovirus (aka “stomach flu”): Although not a respiratory virus but it tends to circulate during the cold and flu season each year. The higher-than-usual rates this past year are likely due to a new strain.¹³

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Why this matters for shared spaces

Schools and offices are high-contact environments where germs spread easily. Holiday travel adds another layer of risk, as people bring pathogens back from gatherings and crowded transportation hubs. Teachers and cleaning teams are the first line of defense, and the steps taken now can prevent widespread illness later.

Action steps for prevention

• Start with vaccination. Encourage staff and families to get flu shots, COVID boosters, and Tdap for pertussis. Even partial protection can reduce hospitalization and keep workplaces and classrooms open.
• Hand hygiene is the cornerstone of infection prevention. Promote frequent hand hygiene with readily accessible hand sanitizer dispensers and ensure that soap and paper towels remain stocked at handwashing sinks. Because hand sanitizer is not effective against norovirus, hands should be washed with soap and water for 20 seconds when this virus is suspected.¹⁴
• Environmental cleaning and disinfection during the cold and flu season cannot be overstated. Janitorial workers should thoroughly clean workspaces and classrooms daily, including elevators, breakrooms, conference rooms, and public restrooms. To safeguard themselves and others, staff should be wiping down high-touch surfaces like desks, doorknobs, keyboards, light switches, phones and elevator buttons several times throughout the workday using an EPA-registered disinfectant. Ready-to-use, one-step cleaner-disinfecting wipes, like Clorox Disinfecting Wipes are ideal as they can be kept readily available where they are most needed. Always follow the product’s directions for use, including the stated contact time.
• Norovirus can persist on surfaces for prolonged periods and because it resists some common disinfectants, not all disinfectants have a Norovirus kill claim. Ensure the use of products labeled effective against it (see EPA's List G). Bleach-based disinfecting products are the gold standard when cleaning against Norovirus.¹⁵ However, non-bleach alternatives, such as Clorox EcoClean Disinfecting Wipes and Clorox EcoClean Disinfecting Spray also have EPA-registered kill claims against Norovirus. When dealing with visible contamination like vomit or diarrhea, wear gloves and immediately thoroughly clean and disinfect the surface. Be sure to perform hand hygiene after cleaning tasks.
• Air quality matters too. Good ventilation reduces airborne transmission of flu and COVID-19. Keep HVAC systems maintained and consider portable air purifiers in crowded areas. During outbreaks, increasing outdoor air exchange can help dilute pathogens indoors.¹⁶

Holiday travel and outbreak response

Travel season brings added risk, so remind staff and families to pack hand sanitizer, disinfectant wipes and masks for trips. Encourage them to stay home if sick and seek care promptly, ideally within 48 hours of symptom onset. For schools, have an outbreak response plan ready: isolate symptomatic individuals, notify parents promptly, and increase cleaning and disinfection frequency in affected areas. Norovirus outbreaks, in particular, require aggressive cleaning and disinfection of bathrooms, cafeterias and other shared spaces.

A positive outlook

While the respiratory season brings challenges, it also offers an opportunity to strengthen community health. By combining hand hygiene, vaccination, robust cleaning and disinfection practices, and simple preventive habits, schools and workplaces can stay safer and healthier. With teamwork and preparation, we can turn a potentially tough season into one that is manageable.