Ask HN: Has anyone else been free of cold/flu symptoms since early 2020?

3 points by idatum 2y ago ↗ HN

The last time I was taken down by the flu -- no, not Covid -- was early January 2020. I have not had a sniffle, anything, since. I have no allergies.

What has changed that I don't get the "common cold" anymore?

5 comments

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rzzzwilson 2y ago ↗

Maybe the measures taken to prevent Covid, masks, distancing, etc? Flu cases declined during Covid, maybe the flu is only now starting to make a comeback.

explain 2y ago ↗

Many people noticed that the common cold disappeared at the same rate at which COVID appeared.

Strange.

dennis_jeeves1 2y ago ↗

Very strange indeed.

fithisux 2y ago ↗

You are right.

Possibly the measures were effective for flu but not Covid. Possibly flu cases were misreported as Covid Possibly Covid targeted/eliminated susceptible people to flu

Possibly a combination of the above

audunw 2y ago ↗

One flu virus lineage was possibly eradicated during Covid pandemic

https://www.nature.com/articles/s41579-021-00642-4

Everyone I know with kids has a wave of various mild cold/flu cases after we re-opened after the Covid pandemic. But after that initial wave last spring I don’t think I’ve been sick at all.

I’m going to guess that these viruses will come back in waves, that will kind off ebb and flow for while until there’s a new stable equilibrium, where we’re back to maybe having a cold once or twice a year (that was the norm for me at least), and you’ve just been lucky not to be hit by one yet.