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Of course, other viral infections can be mistaken for flu. But COVID-19 appears to be on the decline, according to hospital data and to CDC modeling projections. also suggests another respiratory illness, RSV, has been fading nationally.

The flu has forced schools to shut down in some states. The Godley Independent School District, a 3,200-student system near Fort Worth, Texas, last week closed for three days after 650 students and 60 staff were out Tuesday.

Jeff Meador, a district spokesman, said the vast majority of illnesses there have been flu, plus some strep throat. He called it the worst flu season he could remember.

So far this season, the CDC estimates, there have been at least 24 million flu illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations and 13,000 deaths — including at least 57 children. Traditionally, flu season peaks around February.

Overall, 43 states reported high or very high flu activity last week. Flu was most intense in the South, Southwest and western states.

In Rochester, New York, the flu season has been intense but not necessarily worse than at the peak of other years, said Dr. Elizabeth Murray, a pediatric emergency medicine doctor at the University of Rochester Medical Center.

She said there’s a lot of flu, but there’s also still a lot of RSV and a surprising number of babies with COVID-19.

“All of the respiratory illnesses are around, with a vengeance,” Murray added.

The CDC declined to let an Associated Press reporter speak to an agency flu expert about recent trends. The Trump administration ordered a on health agency communications and has continued to refuse interview requests that were routinely granted in the past.

Late Friday afternoon, a CDC spokesperson acknowledged that the new data shows “the highest absolute value” of flu-like illness when compared with other seasons, but added that the statistic is complicated: That value references a baseline estimate for doctor’s office visits, but the baseline is recalculated every year. In late January, the CDC was describing the season as “moderate” in severity.

U.S. health officials recommends that everyone 6 months and older get an .

About 44% of adults got flu shots this winter, the same as last winter. But coverage of children is , at about 45% this winter. It’s usually around 50%, according to CDC data.

About 23% of U.S. adults were up to date in their COVID-19 vaccinations as of late January, up from about 20% at the same point in time the year before. COVID-19 vaccination rates for kids were about the same, at around 12%.

The government has not yet reported its estimates of how well this season's flu vaccine is working.

Testing results from patients indicate that two strains of seasonal flu that are causing most illnesses — a Type A H1N1 and a Type A H3N2. Health officials are closely watching a third strain — a known as Type A H5N1 — that has sickened tens of millions of animals, but is known to have infected only 67 people in the U.S.

, doctors say you should avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth because germs can spread that way. You should also wash your hands with soap and water, clean frequently touched surfaces and avoid close contact with people who are sick.

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The Associated Press Health and Science Department receives support from the Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Science and Educational Media Group and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation. The AP is solely responsible for all content.