AIBU to think that those who say “covid is just a cold” would rather just have a cold than covid if given the choice?

[Owlonbranchtwo]

As per title.

Huh?

Having had covid, and a cold, I'd rather have covid, it was far milder and less obtrusive. But I'm not dumb enough to think that's the case for everyone. Clearly the people who died with covid would rather have had a cold.

I think: did I really just read a thread about Covid in August 2025?

Colds and viral infections can differ massively in how horrible or debilitating they are but so can Covid. If you're unwell, you're unwell, what damn difference does it make?

I’ve had COVID 4 times before this year and would have agreed with you…

…until I caught it again in February this year. I had four months of very prolonged severe unwellness, and am still now trying to resolve the last of the effects of it.

The point is that it can be just like a mild cold - until it isn’t (and yes I was and am now, fully vaccinated…)

I was much more ill with Covid than with a cold. It hung on for weeks and I was bed bound for a week! So I’d choose a cold!

Its a bloody virus! Both colds and covid and flu are viruses.

Sometimes they can be awful. Sometimes they can be so mild you dont even know you have the virus.

If you feel ill then go to bed, if you feel fine carry on.

I've had covid probably around 5 times now and it's been very easy despite me usually being crap with viruses, so I'd rather have covid. It's bad for some so everyone's different.

When people say “Covid is just a cold” it’s usually in the context of talking about what a proportionate approach should be to a virus which now, for vaccinated people, 95% of the time, produces symptoms similar to that of a cold. Most people are aware that sometimes, in some people, the symptoms will be more severe.

Surely this thread is 5 years late?

I've had some colds that were worse than Covid and some bouts of Covid that were worse than colds! No two colds are the same and there are numerous Covid variants.

Had Covid twice that I know of and both times it's been milder than a standard cold, although did drag on for longer.

Thankful noone I know died but I have met people with severe long covid symptoms, which I wouldn't wish on anyone.

I haven't been jabbed since the first 3, so although it's not something I sit around worrying about I would still probably say I'd rather get a cold as it feels like there's still a bit of the unknown about covid.

Oh for goodness sake are people still banging on about this? As others have already stated Covid is a virus with many variants the same as the common cold and flu (among many, many others), sometimes people will catch them mildly and sometimes severely.

I had Covid and was fine apart from a dry cough, just worked from home and kept out of everyone’s way, last year I got a bout of flu and had to have a month off of work, it floored me and I am as healthy as a horse no underlying health issues, healthy weight, healthy diet and work out five days a week.

My elderly mother caught Covid and didn’t even have any symptoms but was hospitalised with Norovirus.

Yes covid can be serious but any virus can be serious so thankfully the majority of people are now viewing it proportionately.

How does anyone know if they have covid now? Seriously, I’ve not seen tests for sale anywhere. Surely no one is still testing?

Have people got nothing better to think about than covid? It was 5 years ago.
If you are ill with it or lost someone to it then I am truly sorry but for most of the population it is nothing more than a slightly annoying illness that makes you rough for a little while......shockingly similar to a cold.

I've had covid twice (that I know of) and both times had an itchy nose and the odd sneezing fit. So I'd take that over a cold any day of the week tbh....

Exactly, why is anyone still asking questions like this?

I've had covid 4 times, and I've had much worse colds.

The only reason I would prefer covid, is if you call in sick to work with covid the boss tends to be more understanding than if you call in sick with a cold.

Although, I never called in sick with covid as I wfh and was able to work.

Oh, and I prefer covid as it makes me sleep! 15 hours of sleep a night was amazing!!

Well you apparently haven’t since you voluntarily clicked on the thread.

One of the main differences between Covid and a cold, as far as I can see, is that people don’t get weirdly aggressive about colds being mentioned and try to ban discussion of them.

I assume the aggression has to come from the fact that you and other posters found the lockdown period really upsetting and want to forget about it. I’m sorry about that, it was hard for a lot of people, but it doesn’t give you the right to stop other people discussing Covid if they want to. If you don’t want to, don’t click on the thread.

It depends. I had Covid last summer and we were on holiday so I kept dosing myself up and telling myself to ‘woman up it’s just a cold! I felt like an utter bag of shite though. It wa only when I came home I took a test as it seemed a bit worse than a cold. With a cold I wouldn’t feel quite so bad. I had pneumonia in the winter and that was worse than Covid for me.

It depends. I had Covid last summer and we were on holiday so I kept dosing myself up and telling myself to ‘woman up it’s just a cold! I felt like an utter bag of shite though. It wa only when I came home I took a test as it seemed a bit worse than a cold. With a cold I wouldn’t feel quite so bad. I had pneumonia in the winter and that was worse than Covid for me.

How do you know. As far as I'm aware I've never had covid, very unusual for me to get a cold either.

So I can't really compare. Had first 2 jabs then none after ( had jabs to be allowed to travel) Worked with general public during lockdowns also and my ds had covid in same house as me

My doctor sister has had all the jabs and has had it four times. Last time at Christmas she felt rotten for a few days but crucially because it was Covid and two household members are immunocompromised and her work environment is high risk she had to isolate for a week in her bedroom and take ten days off work - she works contract so didn’t get paid losing thousands. So cold preferable.

Yeah, this. I've had Covid three times now- each time like a very mild cold and have had colds in the past that were far, far worse.

I remember having a few horrific cold/flu types viruses that gave me thick phlegm and an awful chesty, wheezy cough- none of which I had with Covid so for me, sure, I'd rather have covid than one of those colds again.

That doesnt mean I dont recognise its not the same for everyone

Well. Whenever I’ve had Covid it’s been mild. Last time I had a runny nose for one day. I have had much worse colds. The difference is we KNOW colds are mild illness that don’t cause lasting impacts. We are less sure of that with even mild Covid.

so even though I might feel sicker with a cold, I’d probably still prefer that to Covid, given a choice.

I’m not aware that anyone has received a ruling under the Equality Act 2010 that a cold amounts to a disability. Unlike long Covid which has been ruled a disability in several U.K. legal cases.

So no, Covid isn’t “just a cold” and quite frankly I can’t believe some people are still spouting this bs after all this time.

This is the view that my AIBU was aimed at, so I’m interested in your take. You have to work for the day in room a or b. Room a has someone with a cold, room b has someone with covid. For you, both will have similar symptoms in the acute stage. Which room do you pick?