To be living in fear of illness this time of year?

I agree with this, it's probably a hangover, like a lot of behaviours these days. I'm one of the minority who is at substantial risk all of the time - covid, flu, whatever - and so even during the main wave of the pandemic I was a bit 🙄about people worrying about missing Christmas as if that was all they had to worry about.

I feel exactly the same, like I could have written this post myself. I wear a mask on my commute and wash my hands when I arrive at my destination in the hope that I don't catch anything from people I'm commuting with. I make my kids all wash their hands the minute we walk in the house but obviously that won't protect us from what's going round at school. I'm worried about getting ill myself but more worried that one of my kids will get it and a childhood Christmas memory will be ruined for them. It's not just Christmas, though - I'm like this all winter long.

This.

The norovirus stats the government releases are considerably higher this year than the 5 year average (and the 5 year average has had Covid years removed because obviously the levels were lower then due to lockdown so are not comparable).

I'm really interested to know the statistics, whether we all all catching these bugs more frequently in recent years, so getting ill more often than in past years pre-start-of-covid. I find it strange how normalized it's been made, particularly by schools. I wish there was a large gap between end-of-school and Christmas so that there's a chance to recover.

I started gargling with mouthwash during Covid before I go out and as soon as I get back, and since then I rarely get a sore throat, cough cold or the flu.
I've probably jinxed myself now.

Why waste energy worrying about something you can't control (unless you live like a hermit).
Having been a teacher for 30+ years I'm exposed to so many bugs and germs on a daily that I'be developed a pretty robust immune system but also know that I'll catch stuff from time to time. But I'm not going to stress about it 🤷‍♀️

This. I have noticed a huge increase in this sort of pre christmas illness anxiety amongst my friends (myself included) and I’m sure it’s a hangover from those tense tenterhook weeks in the lead up to Covid Christmases. Can’t remember such focus and angst about the usual and expected seasonal bugs before it.

meh. People get ill. It's unpleasant but it gets better. Do you want to feel less afraid of illness, OP?

Everyone does seem to be sick. I was sure i’d come down with Covid last year as someone at work who I spent a few hrs with for a meal had it end of last week. Then I travelled 4hrs each way on 3 trains but not sick yet. Probably catch it right before christmas

What I do to try to manage this stress is to make myself a 'cold and flu' kit. I have all kinds of things in it, I use the prevention nasal spray and the throat prevention spray (ColdZyme) if I've been out in a busy place. I make sure I have in paracetemol, ibuprofen, Difflan and decongestants. Tissues, vaseline for noses, throat sweets in every bag. I wash my hands when I get in from outside, and I am happy when it's cold enough to wear gloves, also wash after using the loo religiously so that helps. If anyone gets a vomiting virus, I make them a den in their bedroom, dedicate one bathroom to them (out of two) and dettol all the handles of everything, and it very rarely spreads in our household.

Once I've done all that, I go out and enjoy myself! I find being prepared helps a lot with all the worry of it, and even when I've got sick which is once so far this year, I've been able to carry on pretty much, and so has everyone else as I encourage them to use the cold and flu kit!

I'd much rather do that than stay in.

Yeah same here. I’m trying to not overreact and rationalise but it’s hard. Not helped by the posts on Social media about it and even here on MN. But I do try to keep it in some kind of perspective as I know that even IF we all came down with something, we are still healthier than many people who’d love to “only” worry about some winter bugs…

But it is hard…

Glad I'm not the only one who feels like this!

I always stress before something big (Christmas, a holiday) that the DC will bring a bug home and it will be ruined. Vomiting bugs especially!

I think it depends on our cancer type, not sure which kind you have. I have blood cancer and the particular kind puts me at quite high risk of respiratory and sinus infections. I socialise with friends, but I know they're all vaccinated. So, not paranoid, just ultra careful I guess!

I have cancer too and really and truly couldn’t live like that.

I always get anxious before Christmas or before a holiday that one of us is going to catch something and our plans will be ruined. I think that's perfectly understandable when you're looking forward to something. Flu and norovirus can be very nasty.

I am trying to learn to just accept that it is what it is. My poor 5 year old has been ill for the last 3 weeks with an ear infection and what feels like a never-ending cold and cough. She was also ill last Christmas, my parents had the flu the Christmas before. It's a shame we can't move Christmas to the summer. Maybe we should all move to Australia!

Try not to read about all the things going round.

I'm doing up on vitamins and hoping for the best. Tbf, I am always poorly at Xmas but usually just a bog standard cold. 2020 I had covid and so slept through most of it.

Touch wood I'm okay so far. But I figure there isn't anything I can do to stop it so I'm not gonna stress about it.

Sounds like you have irrational anxiety. It’s really not a normal way to feel. Have you spoken to your GP?

This time of year makes me nostalgic for lockdowns. I'm immune compromised (cancer) and lockdown was the only time I felt truly safe travelling and mingling as mostly everyone was being careful. Now I'm back to 7AM supermarket visits and strange looks for wearing a mask.

I am possibly the only weirdo in Bristol wearing masks in public transport. My rides are usually at least 45 mins and people usually avoid ME as they think I am unwell.I know i cant avoid germs but cold weather actually hampers the cells in our nasal lining from stopping germs and face covering can increase the ambient air temp. Will not bother that much after a few weeks.

I am on my death* bed right now and it's my second cold in three weeks. It's possibly covid but I don't test. I feel rough as hell so just hoping that I pick up in the next few days as I finish for Christmas and what a waste of holiday. I can't move for coughing.

*may or may not be exaggerating.

I never even think about it to be honest. Only ever been ill at Christmas once, so that's probably why.

I am of the thought that worrying over things we have no control over just adds to stress and stress impacts the immune system.

If I get ill I do but I seem to avoid most illnesses whereas DH who worries about catching everything tends to get them instead.

I have been ill for a few days thanks to mingling with people but that's how viruses transmit.

My anxieties about being ill over Xmas are starting to kick in a bit, my Mum had Covid the week before Xmas last year which sent me into a spin the few days prior to the kids breaking up in case plans had to change quickly on the day or we all got it. Kids have both had colds but thankfully getting over them now and hopefully I've escaped it so far!