An influenza pandemic is a global outbreak of a new influenza A virus. Pandemics happen when new (novel) influenza A viruses emerge which are able to infect people easily and spread from person to person in an efficient and sustained way. The United States is NOT currently experiencing an influenza pandemic. There is an ongoing pandemic with a new coronavirus. CDC influenza programs protect pdf icon[1.1 MB, 2 pages, 508] the United States from seasonal influenza and an influenza pandemic, which occurs when a new flu virus emerges that can infect people and spread globally.