--- title: TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads | TIME description: TIME reporter Alice Park explains why this year's flu epidemic seems to be peaking early and how to prevent the virus from spreading canonical: https://time.com/video/2Kg50Wb1/ og:title: TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads og:description: TIME reporter Alice Park explains why this year's flu epidemic seems to be peaking early and how to prevent the virus from spreading og:url: https://time.com/video/2Kg50Wb1/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/2Kg50Wb1/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads twitter:description: TIME reporter Alice Park explains why this year's flu epidemic seems to be peaking early and how to prevent the virus from spreading twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/2Kg50Wb1/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads [Watch (HLS stream): TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/2Kg50Wb1.m3u8) (2:03)  _Published 2013-01-16. TIME reporter Alice Park explains why this year's flu epidemic seems to be peaking early and how to prevent the virus from spreading_ --- Jul 27, 2023 3:30 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [Trump Releases New Guidelines to Slow Virus Spread](/video/xbz3XMX2/) ### Trump Releases New Guidelines to Slow Virus Spread [Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic](/video/RhEMPzfx/) ### Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic [Why Do I Need a Flu Shot? TIME Explains](/video/jxdi6F8H/) ### Why Do I Need a Flu Shot? TIME Explains --- ## Transcript [ MUSIC ] We're in the middle of a flu epidemic. Here's what you need to know. [ MUSIC ] This year's flu season is off to a quick and intense start. Generally flu lasts from October to April and cases peak in February. But researchers at the Centers for Disease Control say that more people have already gone to see their doctor for flu- related symptoms than have gone all of last year. The virus circulating this year is called H3N2. And this virus tends to be associated with more severe symptoms. Muscles aches, high fever, coughing and sneezing. But the good news is that the vaccine this year against influenza, is a, is a pretty good match for this H3N2. Researches say that it's about 62 % effective in fighting off the flu and that means that someone who has gotten the flu shot has about a 60 % lower chance of having to go to the doctor for flu related symptoms than someone who hasn't gotten vaccinated. There are spot shortages of the vaccine, which means it may be harder to find in some places than others, but public health officials say there's no national shortage. You may have to make a few calls to find a place that can give you a shot. [ SOUND ] Stop it you. Stop it. Stop it. Come here! What do you think you're up to? You probably infected thousands of people already. We get hit with the flu season every year, but the advice is still the same, and it's still relatively simple. Get a flu shot to protect yourself from influenza. And if you do get sick, wash your hands, cover your cough, and cover your sneeze. That's how influenza spreads from person to person. A single cough can contain as many as 3, 000 droplets. Those 3, 000 droplets can travel several feet at about 50 miles per hour. A single sneeze can contain 40, 000 saliva droplets and travel at up to 100 miles an hour. So far, cases of the flu seem to be waning. But that doesn't mean that the season is over. There're three months left. 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