Question: What is the difference between seasonal flu and pandemic flu?
Every year, people around the world get flu. But that's seasonal flu. If a pandemic flu occurs it could kill millions worldwide. But what are the differences between seasonal flu and pandemic flu?
Answer: Seasonal Flu
- Outbreaks are predictable and seasonal; usually in the winter
- There is usually some immunity from previous exposure.
- Healthy adults are usually not at risk; primarily affects the elderly, the very young, and the chronically ill.
- The public health system can meet patient needs.
- Vaccine is available and usually very effective.
- Adequate supplies of antivirals are usually available.
- Annual US deaths about 36,000
- Symptoms include:
- fever
- cough
- runny nose
- muscle pain
- deaths usually occur from complications such as pneumonia
- Modest impact on society (e.g., school closing and sick people stay home from work)
- minimal impact on world economy
Pandemic Flu
- Occurs rarely (3 times in the last 100 years)
- Because there is no previous exposure, there is no existing immunity
- Even healthy people are at risk
- Number of cases could overwhelm the health care system
- No vaccine until later in the pandemic
- Limited supplies if any effective antivirals
- Deaths could number in the millions worldwide
- Symptoms are more severe with more complications
- Major impact on society (e.g. widespread school and business closings, quarantines, travel restrictions)
- Severe impact on the world economy.
Source: United States Department of Health and Human Services; November 1, 2005 Last updated: 11/12/2005
