How often do you catch a cold?

[Pinkbonbon]

I was just thinking I haven't had one in several years. I think, only one cold in the past 5 or 6 years. Mayyyybe 2.

It reminded me of something I read a while back that said the average person gets 4 colds per year! Which at the time I had thought was waaaaay high but my flatmate said it sounded about right to him. But that was student days where we weren't all taking the best care of ourselves, so maybe for some...

So, how often do you catch a cold?

I have 4 colds a year. I need to boost my immune system.

I get sniffles about twice a year, but I haven't ever had a cold bad enough to keep me off work.

Did get chickenpox at 21 though. That kept me away from work for two weeks, so balances out!

I had a virus last year, not a true cold as such. If that discrimination count, it has been about four years.

Doesn't count. Not discrimination!

I teach either R or Y1 and have a permanent sniffle from October-March. There are peaks and troughs of snot production within that.

Very rarely, but when I do it knocks me out. Yesterday was the first day I was able to get up and dressed since Sunday as I had been completely wiped out with a cold. Must have been too much too soon as exhausted again today!

I used to get a cold every 2-3 months but someone recommended echinacea to help my immune system. I take it every day and haven't had a cold now for about 2 years.

Normally a big one in December (I lost my voice every December for about 6 years on the trot) and a couple of smaller ones.

I have a child in reception- last year she was in school nursery. I had some stage of a cold pretty well September to April with the odd week off for holidays. Children are room at sharing germs...

I get loads. At least half a dozen a year. Someone just has to sneeze my way and I'll catch it.

4 is average for me I would say. When I get a cold I get it bad, always end up with a chest infection so am ill for probably about a month from start to finish.

Very rarely, I can't even remember my last one and would guess maybe 5 years ago.

Once a year tops. I’ve had one recently but the year before I don’t think I had any, the year before I had one for ages and a really dry cough for months!

Every couple of years.

Last time I was really poorly was about 2004. Since then I have had sniffles less than once a year. Most years nothing and never more than once per year. Not had a raised temp with it since about 2004.

I ensure my iron levels are up and I take vits C and D and zinc, though I have no idea what difference they make.

Last sniffles in Feb this year - very stressed though

I don't know why but suspect that little contact with others and reasonable immune system help

I would say twice a year. And leads to me having two days off work every year which annoys me. But I seem to get a temp with my colds, which renders me incapable of anything but dossing on the sofa feeling like a week weekend

I can't remember the last time I had a cold or cough, more than 10 years ago. I'm not sure how I manage to avoid them, but actually I haven't been ill at all in years. I must have a fairly robust constitution, and be good at washing my hands (although I'm not a clean freak which may also have kept me hale and hearty).

Apparently colds are a very simple virus so there are a limited number of different ones, unlike flu viruses which can mutate almost infinitely. So the older you get the more chance there is that you have already had any cold that you get exposed to. I had far, far more than four colds a year when I was a child and young adult, but I very rarely get them now. Once a year at most.

On average 2 a year and 1 is flu type virus the other just heavy cold with sore throat.

About 4 x a year for me- but I work in an office with 'hotdesks' . Anyone gets a cold and we all get it- same for D&V and anything else contagious. My sister is self employed and works outdoors with animals all day- no colds for 5 yrs +. I need a new job

1 or 2 per year but they tend to be brief affairs and I haven't had a heavy cold in years. I used to regularly get awful colds that nearly always developed into chest infections but like a PP I was recommended echinacea, I don't take it every day just start dosing myself at the first sign of a cold and never get really ill.

I used to only get 2 or 3 a year but DS started nursery a couple of months ago and we’ve all had constant colds since!

I haven't had a cold for years but then again I don't work. I used to get the odd sniffle years ago when I worked in an office but I can't remember the last time. Had the flu once though in 1999 which knocked me for six and I was off work for 3 weeks.

I work in a school so probably have 2 a term and I take a multivitamin & frequently wash my hands. I had proper flu at the tail end of the Christmas holidays last year and was signed off the first week of term; lasted 2 weeks and took about a month to recover fully.