# Should the UK brace for a brutal flu season?

An episode of [Science Weekly](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/136697669), 18 Nov 2025, 16 min.

Audio: https://flex.acast.com/audio.guim.co.uk/2025/11/17-63978-gnl.sci.20251117.eb.early_flu.mp3

This year’s flu season has begun more than a month earlier than usual, with a mutated strain spreading widely among younger people and expected to drive a wave of hospital admissions as it reaches the elderly. Science editor Ian Sample speaks to Madeleine Finlay about what we know so far and Prof Ed Hutchinson of the University of Glasgow explains how people can best protect themselves and each other. Help support our independent journalism at theguardian.com/sciencepod

Shows are listed from Apple Podcasts' charts and directory, and Podcast Index where it is used. Every show and episode belongs to its publisher and plays from the publisher's own feed; this site hosts none of them.