Just How Severe Is This Flu Season?

It may be easing already in parts of the U.S., ramping up in others, experts say

January 16, 2013 RSS Feed Print

The FDA's Hamburg said, "Although the last year's flu season was relatively mild, this season is turning out to be more severe. On the positive side, the vaccine is well matched this season to the circulating virus strains that are causing influenza."

The bottom line is that no one knows what kind of flu season this year is going to turn out to be.

"Projection is very difficult," said Dr. Kenneth Bromberg, chairman of pediatrics and director of the Vaccine Research Center at Brooklyn Hospital Center in New York City. "You have no idea what's going to happen."

Treanor agreed. "If you've seen one flu season, you've seen one flu season," he said.

More information

For more about the flu, visit the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.