AIBU to ask if you know anyone who has had flu this season?

[notanotherlockdownsurely]

So where's the flu this season?
I don't know a single person who's been off work with it, a single neighbour or friend.

Most likely because people are wearing masks, keeping their distance and washing their hands better...

They were talking about this on the news the other day. The social distancing that is in place for Covid works for other respiratory illnesses too so numbers are lower than expected.

Maybe because people are not mixing as much so the flu isn't spreading as it usually does. Little blessings of the masks I guess

Probably because everyone is washing their hands properly due to COVID-19 so other illnesses are not being passed as much.

loads of conspiracy theorists go on about this.

is the answer not obvious?

Shows how well better hygiene and distancing as well as less people using public transport and being in offices helps prevent the spread of viruses doesn’t it

I had the vaccination this year - last time I had it was 8 years ago. I know several people who've had it for the first time this year. Perhaps more people have been vaccinated than usual which would lessen it.

It makes me want to scream when I see this. Its already been spelled out to you but I'll indulge you further:
People vulnerable to flu are cautious about covid. For example my elderly parents would typically be on planes, trains and buses. They are at home.
Social distancing is in place.
People aren't travelling.
Flu is less contagious than covid.
People are wearing face coverings.
Flu jab uptake has increased.
Got it yet?

Know nobody that has had it.

I forgot to mention the increased wfh which another poster mentioned. Its likely we will see less norovirus too.

could it be that crowded trains, crowded tubes, small offices, crowded shops, bars and restaurants, packed theatres, could lead to spread of flu? 🤔

No, but I don't know anyone who has has flu whilst I know them. I know people who have had flu in the past, but not during the period I've known them.

In addition to mask wearing and social distancing - vaccine uptake has been much higher this year.

Or maybe it’s the fact that everything is going down as covid... maybe that positive covid test from your (example) sister who only had a head cold was actually just the flu... who knows... nobody will ever know

In my area there’s no such thing as social distancing, Asda, co op, everyone stands right behind you, so many people not wearing a mask

Yes, it swept through our school in Sep/Oct. Which makes sense because schools don't have PPE or social distancing. Covid then did the same Nov/Dec.

Yes, we all had it in November. I was off work for 2.5 weeks, DP was off for 3, both kids off school and in bed. We were all tested for Covid, which was negative thankfully and told we’d had good old fashioned flu. It completely wiped us all out for weeks.

I have had a winter viral infection that caused blocked/runny nose, chest infection, fatigue, high temperature not covid.
DS picked it up in school September all got it.
We also got a vomiting bug.
I've never had flu but the usual winter bugs are about IMO.
Plus the majority of older people are isolating, areas are sterilised often.
I hope we continue with the cleaning in the future.
There was a thread years ago on the possibilities of eradicating flu with regular hand washing.

To be fair I'm 41 and I've known one person who has had flu my whole life.

It makes sense that the measures in place would help to prevent flu spreading too. And it's not that common anyway.

@schrodingersUnicorn omg hiiii fellow Shrodingerssomething😂

Yes. My 17 yo niece is recovering from it. She was so ill she was delirious. They thought it was COVID at first as others in the family had it but her test was negative while her flu test was positive.

@notanotherlockdownsurely

So where's the flu this season? I don't know a single person who's been off work with it, a single neighbour or friend.

I'm a medic and work in a hospital. Whilst I have still treated some severe flu patients and certified flu deaths this year, the rates are much lower this year compared to previous years because many people are taking extra precautions due to covid.

People are staying at home if they have any symptoms and self isolating. There is more hand washing and sanitizing, less indoor mixing with others, mask-wearing, etc. Additionally, people are just touching things less - for example, less people will be picking up items in stores just to look at them and then put them back, leaving their flu particles on them. Lots of illnesses are spread through respiratory particles and so lots of illnesses are not getting the chance to spread far and wide this year, including the flu.

If we did precautions like this every year (not saying we should always wear masks, but better hand hygiene etc), we'd have much lower rates of flu every year.

Yes, a colleague had it and was hanging, picked it up from her husband.

It would be pretty shocking and a massive disaster if flu cases were as high this year as in previous years. It's important we reduce seasonal flu numbers as they also put a large pressure on hospital beds. It would also be clear that no one was socially distancing if flu numbers were just as high.

That said most years I only know one or so people who actually get proper seasonal flu so my anecodotal numbers will be useless anyway.

I don't know anyone who's ever had the flu during my adult life - as I can't think of anyone who's ever mentioned having it, been off work etc. My colleague had it when she was at uni, apparently? I know a few people who get the vaccine each year as they're vulnerable.

So it doesn't seem unusual to me that I know nobody that's had it this year, especially as we're mostly at home and not mixing.

What do the conspiracy theorists say about the drop in flu cases?