Support NeoGAF

[OmegaSupreme]

In prior years to the shit we find ourselves in now I would get a nasty cold at least 2-3 times a year. Almost always one around the holidays and one in the height of summer. Thanks to social distancing and mask-wearing it's now been over a year and I haven't even had a sniffle. I might keep wearing a mask in public well after this is over. If it ever really is.

This isn't meant to diminish what is happening to people but I'm always trying to find the positives in everything. What about you guys? Anything positive come of this for you?

 

[dr_octagon]

Definitely

Not being next to people coughing in your face in a crowded train during morning commute helps.

 

[Ionian]

Nothing positive for me, sister works in a hospital and brother in the airport.

Never been tested but I seriously doubt I haven't had it. Was vomiting and my nose was like a leaky tap.

Not fun but still alive so that's something at least.

 

[Soodanim]

I’d like to think that wearing a mask when you’re sick to try and keep the virus from spreading will catch on, even if it’s only in crowded places like public transport.

I’ve no doubt they’ll stick around in some capacity, because the seed has been planted.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Nothing positive for me, sister works in a hospital and brother in the airport.

Never been tested but I seriously doubt I haven't had it. Was vomiting and my nose was like a leaky tap.

Not fun but still alive so that's something at least.

That sucks man. Being alive is good though. Both of my sisters have had it and luckily they've pulled through. I dread my mom getting it.

 

[Stouffers]

Way to jinx yourself

 

[Ionian]

That sucks man. Being alive is good though. Both of my sisters have had it and luckily they've pulled through. I dread my mom getting it.

Would be my worst nightmare if my parents did, thankfully I can handle business for them so they can stay safe. Both hitting retirement age this year.

The weakness (if I had it, I don't know) is honestly worse than the puking.

Had pneumonia before in my 20's, wouldn't wish it on anyone. Excruciating pain so I'd say I'm pretty vulnerable.

 

[Mossybrew]

Yup. I think it's mainly from not having my son in school, he would always bring home a cold or two a year.

 

[IntentionalPun]

 

[IntentionalPun]

One silver lining I'm hoping will happen long term:

At least in tech where I work, where your job can easily be done from home, particularly short term... people better stop coming into work with colds and flus.

I've literally sat in cubicle farms watching as one person comes in... coughing/blowing their nose.. and then within a week 75% of the people have the same thing.. nobody bothered to work from home. This was at a medium sized but well known tech company.

Drove me nuts.

 

[Fbh]

Yeah not getting sick from the usual stuff has been a plus.

Also...honestly, social gathering being less frequent and usually shorter hasn't been too bad either. I'm no longer the boring guy for just wanting to have a couple of beers, talk for a couple of hours and head home.

 

[Ikutachi]

Yes, I didn't get sick last year either.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Impressive.

 

[Soodanim]

Will there be an downside of not getting as much exposure? Not so much colds as it’s a virus that often has a new strain, but will kids end up being exposed to less and end up with weaker immune systems in later life?

 

[UnNamed]

I'm in the same situation as OP, catch 2 flu per year till 2019, now I'm (relatively) fine since March 2020. I hope.

 

[carlosrox]

What is this a fucking pro COVID ad? Jesus Christ.

People advocating for masks AFTER this bullshit is all over should be ashamed of themselves.

 

[Svengoolie007]

That's because every flu and every cold is just called Covid now. Everything is Covid.

 

[Insane Metal]

Nothing here either.

 

[Moogle11]

Same here. Last cold was in Oct 2019 IIRC. I usually get 2-4 a year with a couple being pretty rough. Almost always get one during or right after any international trip, and being a professor lots of germs students handing in exams etc. during cold and flu season. I’m also bad about scratching my eyes and nose due to allergies etc.

So no flights, all my teaching having been online since last March (and will be until August at earliest), fewer public events, always masking up and being more thorough about hand washing and not touching my face after potential exposure has meant not getting sick. Hoping to get sick less often for good by keeping up as much of that as possible. I won’t wear a mask everywhere indefinitely, but will earn them at the doctor’s office/urgent care, on flights etc.

Unfortunately it hasn‘t been all roses as I’ve had a lot of digestive issues the past few months, those at least appear to just be gastritis and getting slowly better with altering my diet and cutting out booze for a while (have had 2 beers twice in over two months). Also had surgery on a couple hernias last week and recovery has been a bit rough. Still nice not having any colds or flus though as those tend to hit me hard and leave me with a nagging cough, especially at night, for a month or so every time.

 

[IntentionalPun]

What is this a fucking pro COVID ad? Jesus Christ.

People advocating for masks AFTER this bullshit is all over should be ashamed of themselves.

It's normal in a lot of Asian countries to wear masks during cold/flu season, and expected if you have any sort of symptoms.

A cancer doctor should be ashamed of saying she plans on trying to spread disease less in the future? lol

 

[Facism]

Yes my G i am with you on that. I'm usually debilitated by a cold or flu around December that always leads to a painful ear-infection that completely destroys me for 2 weeks. People wearing masks and keeping their shitty super-spreading kids away has been a godsend.

 

[CrankyJay™]

What is this a fucking pro COVID ad? Jesus Christ.

People advocating for masks AFTER this bullshit is all over should be ashamed of themselves.

It’s a pro-mask ad.

 

[carlosrox]

It’s a pro-mask ad.

Just as gay.

 

[CrankyJay™]

Just as gay.

Not really, it’s just that the data is showing the COVID safety protocols are having a marked effect on flu numbers.

 

[Rogan]

Nothing here too. I haven't been sick for 8 or 9 years. Me and my dad rarely get sick but when we do get sick it takes a couple of days to recover.

Some people at my office get sick 2 or 3 times a month..

Not sure why I rarely get sick, I'm very happy with it though.

 

[OmegaSupreme]

Nothing here too. I haven't been sick for 8 or 9 years. Me and my dad rarely get sick but when we do get sick it takes a couple of days to recover.

Some people at my office get sick 2 or 3 times a month..

Not sure why I rarely get sick, I'm very happy with it though.

I wish I had your immune system.

 

[Belgorim]

Not really, it’s just that the data is showing the COVID safety protocols are having a marked effect on flu numbers.

I mean, who even gets tested for flu this year?

I have never in my life been tested for the flu, but have been tested for covid 5 times in a year.

Not saying the flu could not actualy be gone, but those graphs wont be enough unless you also check the basis for the data.

And putting it on masks when flu is gone even in sweden does not seem right.

 

[Goro Majima]

Feels like further proof that we were overusing antibiotics when all these colds and other illnesses were viral in nature.

Haven’t been truly sick since late 2019 either and it’s a good feeling. I always get two big colds in November and February and that didn’t happen this year.

 

[Pumpkin Seeds]

Yeah I haven't had any flu or whatever. I've had food disagree with me, but that's the extent of it.

And I have an autoimmune disease on top.

 

[Reizo Ryuu]

I never really got sick anyway, maybe once in three years; no silver lining here.

 

[dave_d]

I don't know. I mean I haven't gotten as many colds this past year as years before so that part is true. Flu is rarer, I'd get one of those every couple of years.(Admittedly I got something nasty March of 2019 because a guy decided to come into work sick.) However I definitely have gotten quite a few more migraines in the past year than years previous so it's not all roses.

 

[CrankyJay™]

I mean, who even gets tested for flu this year?

I have never in my life been tested for the flu, but have been tested for covid 5 times in a year.

Not saying the flu could not actualy be gone, but those graphs wont be enough unless you also check the basis for the data.

And putting it on masks when flu is gone even in sweden does not seem right.

I think when the systems are significant enough that patients seek medical care. They rule out flu vs covid (at least this year).

I'm not advocating for masks if this pandemic ever ends (history says it will), but:
1. I wouldn't fault anyone for wanting to continue to wear masks
2. Since it does seem to help, it could save the healthcare system some money

In short, it's probably a good practice that won't take hold.

 

[Moogle11]

I think when the systems are significant enough that patients seek medical care. They rule out flu vs covid (at least this year).

I'm not advocating for masks if this pandemic ever ends (history says it will), but:
1. I wouldn't fault anyone for wanting to continue to wear masks
2. Since it does seem to help, it could save the healthcare system some money

In short, it's probably a good practice that won't take hold.

Yeah that's largely the same as most years, with the Covid test added on. Go to the doctor/ER with a fever and flu like symptoms your going to get a Flu test and covid test. Covid testing is just way higher due to all the drive thru testing sites for people to get free tests, employers requiring them after potential exposure before returning to work etc. Vs. a usual year where any tests for flu, Strep etc. are only admistered to people who go to the doctor for care and are displaying the relevant symptoms to warrant the tests.

Agreed on masks. I don't expect to see widespread usage, but I'll keep wearing mine on doctor's visits (especially urgent care were the waiting area is full of sick people), long flights (as I tend to catch colds after them) etc. to try to lower the amount I get sick. I hate being sick and don't get any benefit of it as I don't have a job where I get both paid days off and other people doing the work. I'm salaried so I get paid either way, but mostly work independently so things just pile up while I'm too sick to work. So I feel like shit and then have to deal with extra long days to get caught back up once I'm feeling better. Should have taken more precautions to limit cold/flu exposure years ago, just never really thought about it before.

 

[Frito_Pendejo]

Yeah man, I can’t do the mask thing forever. I’m not overweight or out of shape and I run 3-4 miles a night on my treadmill but damn if wearing a mask while working doesn’t wear me out much faster. I do it mainly for peace of mind for others but I really dislike wearing a mask.

 

[20cent]

Yeah, I haven't seen a doctor since late 2019. Used to catch a cold / flu 2-3 times a year..

 

[Rival]

I’ve only been sick once in the last year but that was when I got covid.

 

[eMPOK]

/me sneezes

 

[John2290]

Yep, same for me, just as the summer is ending and as spring is beginning and a flu around christmas

What is this a fucking pro COVID ad? Jesus Christ.

People advocating for masks AFTER this bullshit is all over should be ashamed of themselves.

Masks when you're sick should have been the norm but we were to cool in the west. After this is all over if you're coughing or sneezing right next to me and you don't have an N95 on, you're getting a punch in the tits.

 

[Rentahamster]

I’d like to think that wearing a mask when you’re sick to try and keep the virus from spreading will catch on, even if it’s only in crowded places like public transport.

I’ve no doubt they’ll stick around in some capacity, because the seed has been planted.

It's very common in Japan. It's quite nice and very respectful of other people's personal space.

 

[Kev Kev]

I might keep wearing a mask in public well after this is over.

If it ever really is.

 

[Hulk_Smash]

One silver lining I'm hoping will happen long term:

At least in tech where I work, where your job can easily be done from home, particularly short term... people better stop coming into work with colds and flus.

I've literally sat in cubicle farms watching as one person comes in... coughing/blowing their nose.. and then within a week 75% of the people have the same thing.. nobody bothered to work from home. This was at a medium sized but well known tech company.

Drove me nuts.

Awww poor baby. You keep wearing that face diaper. You know... keep your shit packed in.

 

[Hulk_Smash]

It's very common in Japan. It's quite nice and very respectful of other people's personal space.

It also keeps people from treating each other like normal humans beings, with half your face being covered and all.

 

[Rentahamster]

It also keeps people from treating each other like normal humans beings, with half your face being covered and all.

Maybe in other countries, but in Japan, politeness and harmony is a very strongly emphasized and expressed cultural virtue. People behave the same way with them on as with them off since they're used to it.

 

[IntentionalPun]

Awww poor baby. You keep wearing that face diaper. You know... keep your shit packed in.

Oohhh a tough guy.

WTf did that post even have to do with masks?

 

[Facism]

Oohhh a tough guy.

WTf did that post even have to do with masks?

Having a sensible chuckle at how heated man got at that post

 

[MDSLKTR]

Sick days in the bank def gonna feel nice.

 

[Tschumi]

Same. Happily neither i nor my wife got sick the year before either so whether she plays the frail card i can remind her that she's gone 700 odd days without getting so much as a sniffle

 

[Velcro Fly]

I had COVID in March and then got sick with little infections that needed treatment a couple more times after that when my immune system was shot to hell.

Been since about July though.

 

[Karmic Raze]

I’ve been good too for the most part, but I’ve felt like shit a few times. I guess that’s normal for me, though. The real silver lining is those stimulus checks coming in. I love free money.

 

[Mohonky]

Awww poor baby. You keep wearing that face diaper. You know... keep your shit packed in.

God you're a moron.

But yes, people being actively aware of their hygiene has caused a lower incidence of the spreading of other viruses.