How Long Does The Flu Last? Doctors Confirm: It’s Especially Brutal This Year

If December 2024 was the month of norovirus, it would appear that ailment has passed the baton to another to kick off the new year: the flu. Everyone seems to be hunkered down at home with the flu or, having finally emerged on the other side of it, sharing their family’s flu horror stories. The prevailing theme? This year’s flu is a real lingerer. Whether your household is in the trenches right now or you just know your time is coming, you’re probably wondering, How long does the flu last?

Sometimes it helps to be reminded there’s a light at the end of the tunnel, especially when that tunnel includes aches, pains, fever, and whatever other awful symptoms your body decides to throw at you. So, Scary Mommy asked health care experts to weigh in on your potential flu timeline and what you can do to make the time a little more bearable.

When is flu season in the United States?

The good news is that seasonal influenza, or the flu, primarily circulates in the fall and winter, meaning we don’t have much longer to go. The bad news is that flu viruses are detected year-round in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

But if we’re talking in terms of when flu activity really seems to spike, we’re in the thick of it now — the CDC says the typical surge takes place from December through February. Furthermore, an analysis of flu activity by month over the last 40 years shows that flu activity most often peaks in February.

Unfortunately, it may take up even more calendar space in 2025. “This year’s flu season started later than usual, which means it hasn’t peaked yet and could continue for several more weeks,” Dr. Phillip Kadaj, a physician on the expert-on-demand platform JustAnswer, tells us.

How long does the flu typically last once you have it?

At this point, go ahead and buy a lottery ticket if the flu manages to miss your family this year. For the rest of us who aren’t quite so lucky, we’ll just have to hold tight to the knowledge that the flu will run its course... eventually. “The flu usually lasts about five to seven days for most people,” says Kadaj. “Symptoms can include high fever, chills, body aches, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, and fatigue.”

However, Kadaj notes that the duration of the flu can depend on many factors and that certain symptoms prove more persistent than others. “Some symptoms like cough and fatigue can linger for up to two weeks or sometimes longer,” he says. “I have seen many patients in my clinic with lingering coughs this year.”

Why does this year’s flu seem especially brutal?

It’s not your imagination. Explains Kadaj, “This year’s flu season is definitely hitting hard, and there are a few reasons for that. Experts point to a combination of factors, including the late start to the flu season and the prevalence of more aggressive flu strains. Also, there’s a simultaneous surge in other respiratory illnesses like COVID-19, RSV, and norovirus, which some are calling a ‘quad-demic.’”

Dr. Bayo Curry Winchell, medical director of the Urgent Care Clinics at Saint Mary’s Regional Medical Center, agrees, saying, “We are seeing both Flu A and Flu B, with additional diagnoses on top of that.” She adds that they’re also seeing an uptick in patients “presenting with a wide variety of symptoms.”

Kadaj says the dominant flu strains this year are H3N2 and HIN1, which are known to cause more severe illness, especially in adults and the elderly. And there have been “significant increases” in flu-related hospitalizations, particularly among older adults.

What can you do to help prevent the flu or lessen symptoms?

According to Kadaj, “The flu shot is the best defense against severe flu outcomes.”

In certain circumstances, your health care practitioner may prescribe an antiviral like Tamiflu, which reduces the risk of severe illness and could shorten the amount of time you’re sick. Antivirals are less effective if you start them after two days of symptoms, says Cleveland Clinic, so it’s important to ask your doctor as soon as you notice symptoms to get a diagnosis and possible treatment.

Raelene Brooks, Ph.D., R.N., dean of the College of Nursing at the University of Phoenix, stresses that your body needs adequate hydration, nutrition, and rest to support the cells fighting on the front lines against the flu. Her tips include:

• Get more sleep.
• Take extra vitamin C, zinc, and micronutrients (found in any over-the-counter multivitamin) to help decrease inflammation and increase cellular health.
• Eat foods rich in vitamins and proteins — think oranges for vitamin A, hearty chicken and vegetable soup for protein, carbohydrates, and micronutrients, and whole foods in general for immunity-boosting macro- and micronutrients.
• Avoid junk food, which can increase inflammatory response and worsen nose stuffiness and throat swelling.
• Drink ginger tea and honey, which is a great anti-inflammatory remedy used in Eastern medicine.
• Use Vicks Vaporub, which helps open the nasal and throat passages.
• Gargle with salt and warm water for a sore throat. This helps decrease inflammation of the throat lining.
• Make sure you’re drinking 10 to 12 glasses of water a day. “When more fluids are consumed, this adds to the body’s overall blood volume and circulation,” Brooks explains. “This increase in volume and blood flow carries more oxygen and nutrients to support our front-line immunity cells to fight the good fight against the virus/bacteria.”

Kadaj says you should also rely on hygiene basics: washing your hands frequently, covering your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, not touching your face, and keeping anyone who is sick home to prevent the virus from spreading.

If you’re not sure whether you’ve caught the flu or the common cold, Curry Winchell says to just remember this: “If it’s a cold, you wouldn’t normally present with a fever.”