# Episode 3 - This Year’s Flu Explained: H3N2, Vaccine Mismatch, and What Still Protects You

Page: https://stenobird.com/podcast/from-bench-to-bedside-7672702/episode-3-this-year-s-flu-explained-h3n2-vaccine-mismatch-and-what-still-protects-you
Text version: https://stenobird.com/podcast/from-bench-to-bedside-7672702/episode-3-this-year-s-flu-explained-h3n2-vaccine-mismatch-and-what-still-protects-you.md
Podcast: [From Bench to Bedside](https://stenobird.com/podcast/from-bench-to-bedside-7672702)
Published: 2026-01-26T15:52:08+00:00
Episode link: https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/038427ee94b4dfeccc1e9bc8c649ef0b3b03af702d901bda8a245e9aaf2d7181/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJjMWVjZDU5OC1iZTAwLTRhYzctOWQyOS1jYzUwMmZmYzMxYWYiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI1ZTg2MDU3Ni05NGViLTRhMTEtYjk2ZC1lNTk3ZjgzYTk3YTciLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2NTZiODJjMDAzYzNkNTU0ODQwNzgyMWIiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNjk3NzhkYTlmMjMyMzdkN2Q3YWEzY2MxL2JlbmNoLXRvLWJlZHNpZGVzLXN0dWRpby1jb21wb3Nlci0yMDI2LTEtMjZfXzE2LTUyLTgubXAzIn0=.mp3
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Duration seconds: 1985

## Resource

Is this flu season actually worse, or does it just feel that way? In this episode, we break down what’s driving the current surge in influenza, why the dominant H3N2 strain is spreading so widely, and what a vaccine “mismatch” really means. We cut through the noise to explain what still protects you, what doesn’t, and why “just the flu” is never just the flu.

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## Transcript

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