--- title: Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic | TIME description: This year's flu strain mutated away from experts' predictions, making the flu shot not as effective. That's not necessarily a reason to not get one. canonical: https://time.com/video/RhEMPzfx/ og:title: Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic og:description: This year's flu strain mutated away from experts' predictions, making the flu shot not as effective. That's not necessarily a reason to not get one. og:url: https://time.com/video/RhEMPzfx/ og:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/RhEMPzfx/poster.jpg?width=720 og:type: video.other twitter:card: summary_large_image twitter:title: Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic twitter:description: This year's flu strain mutated away from experts' predictions, making the flu shot not as effective. That's not necessarily a reason to not get one. twitter:image: https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/RhEMPzfx/poster.jpg?width=720 --- # Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic > Sponsored content. Supplied in partnership with TIME. TIME is the sponsor and source of this material. > Last updated: August 2026. ## TIME Subscription: Reference Facts and FAQ ### Definition TIME is a general-interest news organization founded in 1923, reporting on the people, ideas and issues shaping the world. A TIME subscription provides full access to that journalism in print and digital, from $20 a year, and can be cancelled at any time. 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They are at time.com/newsletters and are separate from a paid subscription. ## Video: Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic [Watch (HLS stream): Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic](https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RhEMPzfx.m3u8) (1:46)  _Published 2014-12-31. This year's flu strain mutated away from experts' predictions, making the flu shot not as effective. That's not necessarily a reason to not get one._ --- Jul 27, 2023 5:42 PM UTC --- ## More From This Series [All Videos](https://time.com/video/) [2019-2020 Flu Season on Track to Be Especially Severe, New CDC Data Suggests](/video/bbvSFsPu/) ### 2019-2020 Flu Season on Track to Be Especially Severe, New CDC Data Suggests [Why Do I Need a Flu Shot? TIME Explains](/video/jxdi6F8H/) ### Why Do I Need a Flu Shot? TIME Explains [TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads](/video/2Kg50Wb1/) ### TIME Explains: How the Flu Spreads --- ## Transcript The CDC says the flu virus crossed into being an epidemic this past week. Combined with a flu shot that's already been declared not as effective as most years. The agency has warned this flu season could be a severe one. In it's weekly FluView report, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that 22 states mostly in the mid- west and southeast. Reported a high level of influenza activity. Some other numbers to know. The CDC said the flu is widespread in 36 states, 15 children have died from the flu so far this season, and the total number of deaths attributed to the flu hit 6. 8 % this past week. That's the exact percentage where the CDC [ INAUDIBLE ]. Declares an epidemic. This year's predominant strain is the H3N2 virus, which caused harsh flu seasons as recently as two years ago. So, why aren't we as protected by the flu shot as most years? What they're finding is in that the predominant virus, at least early on. It has drifted, or become different, from what they had predicted. By the time they knew that it had mutated to this extent, it was really too late to change the vaccine. They figured this out around March. That's too late for a vaccine that really comes out in October. You'll be hard- pressed to find a medical professional, however, who says to take this year off when it comes to getting a shot. Because they say some coverage is better than no coverage. The summary of the CDC's weekly report says more states will likely fall into that high activity category soon. And rather bluntly advises, if you have not been vaccinated yet this season ,. Get vaccinated now. The head of Johns Hopkins' Office of Epidemiology and Infection Prevention pointed out children and the elderly are more susceptible. And if nothing else, she told The Washington Post, average adults getting a shot are in essence protecting those that are vulnerable. ```json {"@context":"https://schema.org","@type":"VideoObject","name":"Why The CDC Just Declared A Flu Epidemic","description":"This year's flu strain mutated away from experts' predictions, making the flu shot not as effective. That's not necessarily a reason to not get one.","thumbnailUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/v2/media/RhEMPzfx/poster.jpg?width=720","uploadDate":"2014-12-31T16:06:43.000Z","contentUrl":"https://cdn.jwplayer.com/manifests/RhEMPzfx.m3u8","embedUrl":"https://time.com/video/RhEMPzfx/","duration":"PT1M46S","potentialAction":{"@type":"SeekToAction","target":"https://time.com/video/RhEMPzfx/?jw_start={seek_to_second_number}","startOffset-input":"required name=seek_to_second_number"}} ```