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Original poster

I was told I was exaggerating when I said flu can kill

67 replies

Peaceplant · 11/12/2025 19:26

I said this during Covid and I was laughed at for comparing the severity with flu.

OP posts:
Alpacajigsaw · 11/12/2025 22:52

Bambamhoohoo · 11/12/2025 19:29

I don’t know why you’d get worked up about this. Who cares if other people don’t know you can die from flu? It’s easily googleable, not special knowledge, they obviously have their own reasons for avoiding that- or maybe they’re just not interested in the conversation and trying to shut it down

Exactly

there was a flu pandemic long before Covid had ever existed

LossOfMarbles · 11/12/2025 22:46

I had flu A when DD was a few months old. 30 year old healthy me was bed bound for a week. The drenching sweats, fevers, rigors and vomiting were horrific. At the time I remember thinking death would have been a relief. I had a terrible choking cough for 2 months after. Went down 2 dress sizes.

phoenixrosehere · 11/12/2025 22:44

A classmate of mine died in his mid-20s because his flu morphed into pneumonia.

Friendlyfart · 11/12/2025 22:40

I know of someone who died of flu. They’d come to visit their DD (who was a school mum from DS’s class) from overseas, caught flu and died. This was about 18 years ago. She must’ve been around 60.

ComfortFoodCafe · 11/12/2025 22:38

I had the flu before, ended up being admitted to hospital. Was horrific.

Shittyyear2025 · 11/12/2025 22:22

I spent decades questioning that flu kills.

Then I got real, proper flu as an otherwise healthy adult and it absolutely floored me. I lost 3 days and half a stone.

I think that many many people claim they've had flu and been ok, when in fact they've just had a heavy cold and dosed up on lemsips. Flu can and does kill, and shouldn't be underestimated.

gogomomo2 · 11/12/2025 22:09

It can, but do can milder viruses, you can develop complications to many viruses but that doesn’t mean most people have to worry

MannersAreAll · 11/12/2025 22:06

Pandapoop88 · 11/12/2025 19:51

yanbu, it irritates me no end when they say they have the flu when they have a cold. Flu has you bedridden. I had it this year and it left me ill for weeks during pregnancy. It really shouldn’t be underestimated, I was really poorly as a healthy individual, no wonder it kills the elderly

This is actually one of the myths that causes problems.

Flu doesn't always have you bedridden. I have flu. I feel a bit shit, but if I had a job I'd be expected to be in because I only feel a bit shit.

I only know i have flu as one of my children is in hospital (long term health issues) and we were all tested for covid and flu. My other child also tested for flu and also isn't feeling anything worse than a cold.

That people aren't always bedridden is one of the reasons flu is such a good spreader.

InlandTaipan · 11/12/2025 21:48

Peaceplant · 11/12/2025 19:26

I said this during Covid and I was laughed at for comparing the severity with flu.

If you were comparing the dangers posed by a novel virus with that of flu Im not surprised people laughed.

Scottishskifun · 11/12/2025 21:29

I think the problem is many people call a common cold flu when it's not.
There is a big difference with actual flu and unless you've had it before then many people are dismissive of it.

KimuraTan · 11/12/2025 21:26

My Great Grandmother died of the Spanish Influenza. My grandfather grew up without his Mum. It can kill but I wouldn’t panic over it. There are vaccines - just take it up if you can - providing heard immunity for those who cannot be vaccinated.

TheNightingalesStarling · 11/12/2025 21:24

The most ill I've ever been was when I got flu in my mid 20s.

Covid, flu, the common cold... you can have mild symptoms of any of them, or even asymptomatic, or they can be deadly. Its not a competition. Just like any other virus or infection.

Lougle · 11/12/2025 21:23

Viviennemary · 11/12/2025 19:56

It will mostly affect frail elderly people. I dont expect a healthy person to die of flu.

I used to think that before I worked in ITU. I saw very healthy people who were critically ill with flu.

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-report-winter-2024-to-2025/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-report-winter-2024-to-2025#mortality

About ¼ of people who died from flu last year were under 65.

Influenza in the UK, annual epidemiological report: winter 2024 to 2025

https://www.gov.uk/government/statistics/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-report-winter-2024-to-2025/influenza-in-the-uk-annual-epidemiological-report-winter-2024-to-2025#mortality

StepAwayFromMyCrutches · 11/12/2025 21:20

It isn't just flu. Frail and elderly people can die of common colds. Which is, in essence, what covid is. It will just take a few generations for it to be part of the general background noise that children development immunity to as they grow up. There will always be some that have an overactive immune response but for most, unless they are medically weakened, it will be no more than a cold.

realsavagelike · 11/12/2025 20:58

LemaxObsessive · 11/12/2025 19:44

Well obviously yes frail and/or elderly.

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But what else have the Romans done for us?

toomuchfaff · 11/12/2025 20:17

Some people believe the earth is flat.

Let idiots be idiots. Its not your responsibility to make people aware, or teach them, or change their minds. Let them be idiots, set your boundaries and stick to them, regardless of anyone else.

Happyjoe · 11/12/2025 20:04

Viviennemary · 11/12/2025 19:56

It will mostly affect frail elderly people. I dont expect a healthy person to die of flu.

And children.

Waterweight · 11/12/2025 20:04

My sister in law just got discharged from hospital with a collapsed lung & pneumonia from Influenza A. But got to admit I was quite shocked as were in our 30's & I'd forgotten how dangerous it can be

Happyjoe · 11/12/2025 20:03

5foot5 · 11/12/2025 19:56

The "Spanish" flu outbreak in 1918 - 20 killed more people than the Great War.

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That's what immediately sprung to mind, of course flu kills, think of the Spanish flu! Nasty stuff.

Theunamedcat · 11/12/2025 19:56

Bambamhoohoo · 11/12/2025 19:54

What are you talking about? This is nonsense. Seems likely people did just want to shut you up tbh

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Shut me up? I've already told you I wasn't involved reading is a skill issue for you clearly

Viviennemary · 11/12/2025 19:56

It will mostly affect frail elderly people. I dont expect a healthy person to die of flu.

5foot5 · 11/12/2025 19:56

Tigerbalmshark · 11/12/2025 19:39

Agree - OP you clearly met an idiot, as thousands of people die of flu each year, and the 1917 flu pandemic is fairly famous.

But just as I wouldn’t start a thread about every idiot I meet who doesn’t believe you can die of kidney failure, or very high blood pressure, or untreated diabetes, I wouldn’t bother getting worked up about some twit you’ve met who doesn’t know anything about flu.

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The "Spanish" flu outbreak in 1918 - 20 killed more people than the Great War.

Bambamhoohoo · 11/12/2025 19:54

Theunamedcat · 11/12/2025 19:51

Im not trying to educate anyone you want to kill yourself with stupidity go right ahead the incident I was talking about was nothing to do with me

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What are you talking about? This is nonsense. Seems likely people did just want to shut you up tbh

AlPaccacino · 11/12/2025 19:53

My 3rd husband died in 2019 of flu. He was 50

Lookingforthejoy · 11/12/2025 19:52

BlueberryOats · 11/12/2025 19:49

I don't think you die from flu, you die from organ failure, sepsis, respiratory distress.

www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-does-the-flu-actually-kill-people/

But if you didn’t have the flu then those things wouldn’r happen.

It’s a bit like saying people don’t die of AIDS or another illnessss. It’s technically true but it’s a huge contribution to the situation.

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