Everything to know about catching a cold after not being sick for a year

[Demovictory9]

A silver lining in the devastating COVID-19 pandemic was that nobody in my family of five caught a single cold for more than a year.

Wearing a mask and hibernating at home protected us from COVID-19 — but we also avoided the soup of germs that can set a throat on fire and turn a nose into a leaky faucet.


That is until late last month, when a nasty virus hit our household like a freight train, sparing no one from a backlog of mucous in the nasal passages.

The whole experience was manageable. Nobody became seriously ill or even feverish, but it reminded us all how much we hate colds and led us to ask many questions. Will we be slammed with a barrage of colds in coming months? Should we get tested for COVID (we did and were negative)?


For some answers to questions about colds, I checked in with some experts.

https://www.sfgate.com/bayarea/article/cold-flu-symptoms-covid-should-i-get-tested-16217445.php

[EYESORE 9001]

1. I have heard rumors

that COVID-19 research may lead the way toward a cure for the common cold. Wouldn’t that be grand!

[PoindexterOglethorpe]

2. Here's what you need to know about colds.

There are several hundred viruses that cause colds. Most of the time, once you've gotten a cold from one specific virus you are forever immune to that specific cold virus. Apparently a small percentage of colds are caused by corona viruses and apparently it's possible to be reinfected with a cold from that specific virus. But most of the time, get a cold, now immune to that specific cold. Which is why older people (like myself, I'm 72) have already had lots and lots of colds and don't get them very often any more. I'd say I've gotten three in the past ten years.

Something else to keep in mind. A robust immune system happens by being exposed to lots of things and then getting over them. Take smallpox (variola major). If you ever had it, you are immune forever. Unfortunately, that's a terrible disease with a fairly high death rate and it scarred most people who survived. It's worth knowing that in the 19th century a less virulent, more benign if you will, version showed up (variola minor). It had a very low death rate and didn't cause scarring. It was in the process of replacing the more virulent version when smallpox vaccinations became common.

Similar examples exist with lots of diseases. I'm not about to suggest we stop immunizing children against smallpox or the things I got that were considered harmless childhood diseases when I was growing up. But there is going to be a certain down side to the recent masking and excessive sanitizing (which is another topic altogether). So long as we understand there will be a trade off, we can deal with it.

[FakeNoose]

3. Good to know

[Cracklin Charlie]

4. It's running through my family bubble right now.

I think my granddaughter brought it home from dance class. I am getting over it, but my husband just started with it yesterday.

So many tissues.

[Blue Owl]

5. Thanks for the info

I haven’t had a cold the past year either, and not looking forward to catching one anytime soon!

I may continue to wear the mask just because...

[Tree Lady]

6. My allergies have been bad this year

And thats enough for me! Trying not to catch anything else my immune system has to deal with.

[MiniMe]

7. Don't forget religiously washing your hands as a plus

[GulfCoast66]

8. Can't say I was not sick this year, unfortunately.

In January I was sicker than I have ever been in my life. My normal temperature is 97.5. I had a 102+ fever. In bed for 4 days. Swore I had Covid. Two test including one at the hospital were negative. But on day 4 the fever broke and I was good to go.

Talked to Mother shortly afterwards and in her memory even as a kid I never had a fever above 100 which I guess is rare for children. Told me, for the first time, that she became increasingly happy as the years went by that I never got really sick.

So I guess at 54 I finally caught a bad flu. Ironically in a year I was wearing masks and avoiding people! Probably got it at the grocery or picking up food at a restaurant.

Fully vaccinated now for over 6 weeks and feeling good. But after the experience I had the mask may go back on in crowded conditions next flu season.

[JCMach1]

9. Rhinovirus don't care about no stinking masks...

It knows you are going to touch your nose anyway.

10yo brought it home for everyone when he returned to F2F school...

And because we hadn't been sick in forever (except COVID), it kicked our butts for a Cold.