What Sickness Is Going Around Atlanta Right Now?

If you live in or are visiting Atlanta, Georgia, it’s natural to wonder: “What sickness is going around Atlanta right now?”

There isn’t one master list that updates in real time, but there are predictable patterns and common illnesses that tend to circulate in the city through the year. You can also check local resources in Atlanta to see what’s currently active.

This guide walks through:

• The most common illnesses that go around Atlanta
• Seasonal patterns unique to the area
• How to check what’s spreading right now
• Local hotlines, clinics, and agencies that share up-to-date information

How to Figure Out What Illness Is Going Around in Atlanta

There’s no single perfect answer at any given moment, but you can get a good picture by combining a few sources:

• Local health agencies
• Urgent care and hospital reports
• School and daycare notices
• Your own circle (friends, coworkers, neighborhood groups)

Key Atlanta Resources to Check

These organizations regularly monitor and share information about illnesses circulating in the metro area:

1. Fulton County Board of Health (for much of the City of Atlanta)

• Main office: 10 Park Place South SE, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Phone (general info): (404) 613-1205

2. DeKalb County Board of Health (for East Atlanta, Decatur, and nearby areas)

• Main office: 445 Winn Way, Decatur, GA 30030
• Phone: (404) 294-3700

3. Georgia Department of Public Health (DPH)

• State Office: 2 Peachtree St NW, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Main switchboard: (404) 657-2700

4. Local hospitals and health systems often post seasonal illness updates, such as:

• Grady Memorial Hospital, 80 Jesse Hill Jr Dr SE, Atlanta, GA 30303
• Emory University Hospital Midtown, 550 Peachtree St NE, Atlanta, GA 30308
• Piedmont Atlanta Hospital, 1968 Peachtree Rd NW, Atlanta, GA 30309

You can call nurse lines or check public bulletins to see if flu, COVID-19, RSV, or stomach bugs are particularly active.

Common Illnesses That Frequently Go Around Atlanta

While the exact illness “going around” changes, some patterns repeat every year.

1. COVID-19 and Respiratory Viruses

COVID-19 continues to circulate in Atlanta and surrounding counties in waves.

Commonly discussed symptoms include:

• Cough, sore throat
• Fever or chills
• Congestion or runny nose
• Fatigue and body aches
• Changes in smell or taste (sometimes)

In Atlanta, people often notice spikes:

• When schools and universities (Georgia State, Georgia Tech, Emory, local colleges) are back in session
• During holidays and large events (concerts, festivals, sports games)

Other respiratory viruses that frequently go around Atlanta at the same time include:

• RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus) – often discussed with infants, toddlers, and older adults
• Parainfluenza and rhinovirus – common cold-type illnesses

2. Seasonal Flu (Influenza)

The flu is one of the most common answers when people ask, “What sickness is going around Atlanta?”

Typical patterns:

• Flu activity usually rises in late fall, peaks in winter, and can extend into early spring.
• High activity is often noticed in schools, MARTA commuters, workplaces, and college campuses.

Flu is often associated with:

• Sudden fever
• Body aches
• Strong fatigue
• Cough, sore throat, congestion

Local pharmacies, urgent cares, and county health clinics across Atlanta usually advertise flu vaccinations starting in early fall, which is a sign that flu season is gearing up.

3. Common Colds

The common cold is present in Atlanta year-round, with noticeable surges:

• When the weather shifts quickly, especially during fall and early spring
• When school is in session and kids come home sniffly

Colds in Atlanta are frequently passed:

• In crowded indoor spaces (offices in Downtown/Midtown, college lecture halls, MARTA trains and buses)
• At daycare centers and youth activities

Symptoms often include:

• Runny/stuffy nose
• Sore throat
• Mild cough
• Low-grade discomfort

People in Atlanta sometimes describe “a cold that won’t go away” during high-pollen months, where allergies and colds overlap.

4. Stomach Bugs (Gastroenteritis / “Stomach Flu”)

Another common illness that tends to “go around” Atlanta is the stomach bug, often viral in nature.

People often report:

• Nausea or vomiting
• Diarrhea
• Stomach cramps
• General weakness

Stomach bugs may spread:

• Through households and close contact
• In schools, daycares, nursing homes, gyms
• When hygiene and handwashing are inconsistent (especially at shared events, games, or parties)

These illnesses are typically short-lived, but they can be very disruptive and may be more serious for young children, older adults, or people with health conditions.

5. Strep Throat

Strep throat regularly circulates through Atlanta, especially:

• Among school-aged children and teens
• In households after one person brings it home

People often seek care for:

• Sudden, painful sore throat
• Fever
• Swollen glands in the neck

Local pediatric and family clinics in Atlanta frequently report clusters of strep cases, particularly:

• Late fall through spring
• During times when other respiratory bugs are spreading

6. Allergies and Allergy-Related Symptoms

While not an infection, allergies are one of the biggest “something is going around” complaints in Atlanta.

Common triggers:

• Tree pollen in late winter and early spring
• Grass pollen in late spring and early summer
• Ragweed and other weeds in late summer and fall

Typical symptoms:

• Sneezing
• Itchy or watery eyes
• Runny or stuffy nose
• Postnasal drip, sometimes with mild cough

Many Atlantans notice:

• Their cars and porches covered in yellow pollen dust, often signaling a spike in allergy-related complaints that can mimic a cold or mild respiratory illness.

Seasonal Patterns: What’s Going Around in Atlanta by Time of Year

While exact activity changes year to year, Atlanta tends to follow a fairly consistent seasonal rhythm.

Winter (December – February)

Common issues:

• Flu surges
• COVID-19 waves
• RSV and other respiratory illnesses
• Colds and strep throat

You’ll often hear about crowded waiting rooms at:

• Hospital emergency departments
• Urgent cares in Midtown, Buckhead, and the suburbs
• Pediatric offices throughout the metro

Spring (March – May)

Common issues:

• Allergies spike, especially tree pollen
• Persistent cold-like symptoms
• Ongoing respiratory viruses, though often lower than peak winter

People in Atlanta may be unsure whether they have:

• A lingering cold
• Early flu
• Or just severe seasonal allergies

Summer (June – August)

Common issues:

• Stomach viruses circulating through camps, daycares, and travel
• Some colder-type viruses still spreading, but often less intense
• Heat-related illness (not an infection, but can cause headaches, nausea, and fatigue)

Travel around Hartsfield-Jackson Atlanta International Airport can also introduce new bugs as people move in and out of the city.

Fall (September – November)

Common issues:

• Back-to-school colds
• Early flu activity beginning
• COVID-19 and other respiratory waves
• Ragweed allergies and fall pollens

Teachers, parents, and college students in Atlanta frequently notice “everything going around at once” in the early fall.

Quick Reference: What Might Be Going Around in Atlanta?

Below is a simple overview of common illnesses and when they’re often active in Atlanta. This is a general pattern, not a real-time report.

How to Tell if It’s Allergies or a Virus in Atlanta

Because Atlanta’s pollen counts can be very high, many residents confuse allergies with viral illness.

People in Atlanta often consider:

• Allergies are more likely if:

  • Symptoms line up with high pollen days
  • There’s itching (eyes, nose, throat)
  • Symptoms stay mild but linger for weeks

• A virus is more likely if:

  • Sudden onset with fever, body aches, or chills
  • One person in the household was sick first, then others
  • Symptoms change more rapidly over a few days

When in doubt, locals often:

• Call their primary care office or nurse line
• Use telehealth visits available from many Atlanta-area clinics

Where Atlantans Commonly Get Up-to-Date Illness Information

If you want to know what sickness is going around Atlanta right now, these are practical local routes:

1. Call Local Health Departments

• Fulton County Board of Health
  Phone: (404) 613-1205
  Can provide general community health information and point you toward county clinics and current advisories.

• DeKalb County Board of Health
  Phone: (404) 294-3700
  Helpful for East Atlanta, Clarkston, Decatur, and surrounding areas.

For other metro counties (Cobb, Gwinnett, Clayton, etc.), their county health departments can share local patterns too.

2. Contact Your Usual Clinic or Pediatrician

Many Atlanta practices:

• Have nurse advice lines
• Can tell you what they are “seeing a lot of this week” (for example, strep, flu, or a stomach bug)

Urgent care centers around Atlanta (including locations along Peachtree St, Ponce, Virginia-Highland, Buckhead, and the suburbs) often know:

• Whether flu testing, COVID testing, or strep testing is especially busy.

3. Check School and Daycare Communications

If you or your child is connected to:

• Atlanta Public Schools
• Fulton County Schools
• DeKalb County Schools
• Local private schools and daycares

They may send emails or notes if:

• Flu, strep, head lice, or stomach bugs are circulating heavily in a classroom or grade.

4. Use Local Community Channels

While not official, many Atlantans learn what’s going around through:

• Neighborhood social media groups (e.g., Inman Park, West Midtown, East Atlanta, Kirkwood)
• Parent groups centered around specific schools or sports teams

These can quickly signal patterns like:

• “Everyone has this terrible cough right now”
• “There’s a stomach virus going around the preschool”

Practical Tips for Navigating “Whatever Is Going Around” in Atlanta

Without giving medical advice, there are common-sense habits people in Atlanta use when they hear something is circulating:

• 😷 Be extra cautious in crowded indoor spaces during peak seasons (winter for flu/COVID-19, spring for allergens).
• 🧼 Hand hygiene is especially important:
  • After using MARTA or rideshares
  • After public events (games, festivals, concerts)
  • Before eating, especially at gatherings
• 🏫 Watch school and daycare notices so you know if strep, flu, or a stomach virus is going around your child’s class.
• 📞 Reach out early to a healthcare provider if you are concerned about symptoms, especially for infants, older adults, or anyone with chronic health issues.
• 😴 Rest and stay home when you’re sick, which helps limit how fast illnesses spread through workplaces and schools in the city.

When to Seek Local Medical Help in Atlanta

If you or someone with you in Atlanta is experiencing:

• Trouble breathing
• Chest pain or pressure
• Confusion, difficulty staying awake
• Signs of dehydration (infrequent urination, dizziness, dry mouth)
• Or symptoms that suddenly get much worse

People often go directly to:

• The nearest emergency department (such as Grady Memorial, Emory Midtown, Piedmont Atlanta, or a local hospital in your county)
• Or call 911 if the situation feels like an emergency

For non-emergencies but concerning symptoms, many Atlanta-area providers offer:

• Same-day sick visits
• Telehealth appointments
• After-hours nurse lines

Knowing exactly what sickness is going around Atlanta at any given moment requires checking a few sources, but most of the time the culprits are familiar: flu, colds, COVID-19, stomach bugs, strep throat, and allergies driven by the city’s strong pollen seasons. Using local health departments, clinics, school alerts, and your own community networks can give you a clear picture of what’s circulating right now in the Atlanta area.