What is the difference between seasonal flu and pandemic flu?
The seasonal flu is caused by a flu virus already circulating in the human population. A pandemic flu will be caused by a flu virus that has not circulated among people. Seasonal flu occurs at about the same time every year, beginning in December and ending in March. Most people who get seasonal flu recover within a week or two and do not require medical treatment. The very young, the very old and the very sick are most likely to become seriously ill from seasonal flu. Pandemic flu is more serious than a “typical” flu. It is caused by a new flu strain that humans have not been exposed to, so they have no natural resistance or immunity to it. Pandemic flu is different from seasonal flu because it infects large numbers of people of different ages all over the world and causes serious illness and deaths. During a pandemic people are more likely to get the flu and it is more likely to be deadly, even among young and healthy people.
