To ask how often do you get colds/ flu?

[Hereinmyarms]

How often on average do people get colds and flu?

This is NOT a stealth boast - I haven’t had a cold for 3 years and I am actually quite worried about it. I know that’s ridiculous - but I am worried it’s been so long, when I do get it- if will be bad!

My partner seems to be ill all the bloody time- he’s always got a cold or some bug. I work at a uni and I am wondering if I have just developed a good immune system as have been around students a lot over a long time.

Anyway- what is the ‘norm’? I have probably had flu twice in my life and both times when my kids were little and I was tired etc. I think that’s fairly normal to only have flu rarely.

Anyway- it’s weirdly bothering me. Obviously I don’t want to be ill but I am worried it’s been a while and it will be worse when it comes 🤪

At least 6+ times a year!

I manage a medical room in a large school.
Parents send their kids in to school, when they are obviously very unwell. So, I pick up all sorts and it’s rubbish!

People over a certain age get offered flu jab, covid jab etc as a matter of course on the NHS as become more vulnerable.

It’s reassuring that lots of people on here aren’t getting ill all the time tho

Flu as usually described - once as a teenager.
Colds - once or twice per year. Thought I was getting one just now but I seem to have headed it off. I think my immune system is generally good.

Op do you feel run down generally? Do you have reasonable energy levels?

I used to get 3/4 colds a year, basically every season. I’ve upped my vitamins though and so far nearly 10 months into the year I haven’t got sick once!

I’m in menopause so knackered (!) but generally really well and healthy- exercise, eat well, don’t smoke, drink rarely etc.

I don’t take multi vits regularly as forget but might try to over the winter!!

Flu once hospitalised, covid once hospialised (nearly died) colds 1 or 2 a year.

I’m pretty lucky I think. I can’t remember ever having flu, might have had it once as a child. I get colds rarely. Prior to Covid, I didn’t have a cold for about 10/15 years (or more likely, I caught cold viruses but suffered no symptoms).

Since Covid I’ve had a couple of colds, but the symptoms are very mild; it just manifests as a runny nose and some sneezing. So there’s no headache, sinus pain or sore throat, no fever, no body aches etc. I’m able to carry on as normal, albeit with a stash of tissues to hand. It helps that I don’t work in an office or a school and nor do I use public transport very often. I also eat loads of garlic and onion both of which I believe have been scientifically proven to aid the immune system; and I walk by the sea most days and I like to think the sea air is good for me.

I get colds all the time. But I work in a school and have 3 small children. Rarely is it anything I have to take time off for.
I got the flu for the first time last year, learned my lesson and have booked the jab this year. I've also upped my vitamins this year, shall see if it has any effect.

Without wishing to tempt fate (and no doubt I will get sick next week now) I haven't had a cold for about two years. Have had proper flu twice in my life, once in 2022, prior to that in my early 30s. In both cases it was really bad. Had COVID twice that I know of, far far milder than flu: in one case it was like a mild cold, in the other asymptomatic. Flu was far worse.

I get colds far far less frequently than I did in my 20s (mid 50s now) which seems counterintuitive and odd. I used to get 3 to 4 a year, now more like once every two years.

My lifestyle is far healthier now: I gave up smoking 20 years ago and barely drink, but it still seems odd: I would have thought youth alone would offset whatever bad behaviours I indulged in. Interesting if there's any immunity specialists on here!

I have long covid and seem to pick up constant colds. Nightmare tbh

Never. I am INCREDIBLY annoying and will
get my comeuppance some day!

Whenever I get a flight!
I have a 7 year theory, you get something and it really hits you then the next year nothing, then a bit and builds up in the 7 year cycle. Then your immune system resets again.

I don’t get them either. I work from home and don’t have kids, so that probably helps, as people tend to go to work and send their kids to school with colds, and this spreads it about.

Yes I would love to hear from an immunity specialist.

One thing I have stopped doing is getting a bus to work in the winter with the students when it’s all steamy and the windows are closed and it’s basically germ soup. That was almost a guarantee of illness!

i get several throughout the winter months- probably around 5.

dh doesn’t get many. he has an autoimmune disease and thinks his overactive immune system slams them down before they can develop into anything.

I've had flu once, about 25 years ago, swine flu in 2008 or 2009 and Covid twice.
I haven't had a cold for around 18 months but I'm currently struggling with some kind of virus that has absolutely floored me. Not left the house since last week.
The muscle aches, chills, nausea and exhaustion feels similar to flu but without the runny nose and cough.

I do still use public transport a fair bit (work hybrid and in the office three days a week) so am still exposed to a lot of winter germs. Again, without wanting to tempt fate, my immune system actually seems to have got tougher as I've got older.

Maybe not drinking or smoking makes a big difference.

Not very often. Perhaps once a year but I might be thinking of the last time I had a cold. I feel unwell but it's rare I'm really unwell. My children are the same, my eldest got Freshers flu when they started their first year in 2024 but managed to escape it the years following. My youngest started back at school and hasn't had anything since they started (touch wood).

Maybe some weird covid variant? Get well soon! 💐

Flu once, covid once, strep several times. I've just finished a course of antibiotics for the last bout of strep.

I tend to dispatch colds pretty quickly when I do get them (,about four a year).

Virtually never or tummy bugs etc I suffer with migraine but I never seem to catch viruses going around. I have no idea why. Lucky I guess

My DD 14 has been ill this last week with a stinking cold and the 18 year old DS has a cough- But I have dodged it so far 😷

I probably get a cold about every 2-3 years, I have had a chest infection once and never had tonsillitis or Covid. I think I have had ( debilitating ) Flu twice in 50 odd years, once as a child and once as a 30yr old, wasn't tested either time so can't be 100% certain. I get the injection every year now through work.
I am also obese, vape ( smoked for many years prior to vaping ) and drink far too much, so not exactly a picture of rude health !

I get a cold maybe 3 times a year. Flu I had once 23 years ago when I was 15. It floored me. Spent a week in bed, think I was awake for 2 hours that entire week and only for my mum to change my sweat sodden bedsheets and help me shower. It was horrific.