Flu Season - From Start to Peak and End

Although flu season is usually thought of as occurring in the winter, the severity and timing of flu season actually varies from year-to-year.

Flu Season

Flu season is the time of year when you are most likely to get sick from the flu.

In general, flu season can start any time in late fall, peak in mid-to-late winter (usually January or February), and continue through early spring.

• 2012-13 Flu Season - an early and intense flu season that has lasted slightly longer than usual, but which has already peaked and is moving towards a close - 138 deaths so far.
  
  
• 2011-12 Flu Season - was a mild flu season - 34 deaths in children
  
  
• 2010-11 Flu Season - started in December, peaked in February, and ended in April - 123 deaths in children
  
  
• 2009-10 Flu Season - 2009 H1N1 pandemic flu virus continued from the summer and fall of 2009, peaked in October, and ended in December - 282 deaths in children
  
  
• 2008-09 Flu Season - seasonal flu season started in December, peaked in February, and ended in April, but then cases of the 2009 H1N1 virus began in May 2009 and continued throughout the summer and fall of 2009 - 133 deaths in children
  
  
• 2007-08 Flu Season - started in January, peaked in February, and ended in April and was considered to be more severe than the previous three flu seasons - 88 deaths in children
  
  
• 2006-07 Flu Season - started in December, peaked in February, and ended in April - 68 deaths in children
  
  
• 2005-06 Flu Season - started in February, peaked in March, and ended in April, but was considered a mild flu season - 41 deaths in children
  
  
• 2004-05 Flu Season - started in December, peaked in February, and ended in April - 39 deaths in children
  
  
• 2003-04 Flu Season - started in October, peaked in November, and ended in December, and was considered to be a moderately severe flu season - 152 deaths in children
  
  

Theories about Flu Season

Why is the flu virus so active in the winter? People used to simply blame the fact that kids are in school and are inside more because of the cold weather, but those were never really satisfying explanations.

Recent research gives an even better explanation - the flu virus is transmitted best at colder temperatures in low humidity, just like we see in the winter.

Flu Season Facts

• Flu season most commonly peaks in February (50% of the time).
• In the Southern Hemisphere (Australia, New Zealand, South Africa, etc.), flu season actually occurs in the summer months.
• You can view past flu season reports at the CDC flu website.