I don't think I've had the "Flu" in about ten years or so. When I did, it kicked my ass. Ironically I caught from going to a Doctor's office for something else. Anyway, Fever, chills, headache, sweating.... I basically had to go to bed and lay under an electric blanket to get warm. Shudder... hope I never have to go through something like that again.
Most people don't get flu often, you usually develop immunity to that strain even if it mutates your body can fight it off generally with anitbodies. If you encounter strains you never had before you can easily get it multiple times I believe.
Here is a good info on the types of Common Cold viruses, I think the Coronavirus and RSV
respiratory syncytial virus colds are more powerful while the Rinovirus is the mild form that doesn't cause severe fatigue and other symptoms and generely go away quickly.
You know the drill. Your throat feels scratchy, you start sneezing and
coughing, and pretty soon you're in the grip of a nasty cold. To add insult to injury, all that big-time misery is from a tiny invader -- a living thing called a virus.
And it's not just one you need to dodge. There are more than 200 that can lay you low.
It's likely that someday you'll have a close encounter with one of these types:
There are also a lot of viruses that doctors haven't identified. About 20%-30% of
colds in adults are caused by these "unknown" bugs.
How and When They Strike
Cold viruses have a lot in common, but each type has its own style, too.
Rhinovirus. This bunch is most active in early fall, spring, and summer. They cause 10%-40% of colds. You'll feel plenty miserable when you catch one, but the good news is they rarely make you seriously sick.
Coronavirus. These tend to do their dirty work in the winter and early spring. The coronavirus is the cause of about 20% of colds. There are more than 30 kinds, but only three or four affect people.
RSV and parainfluenza. These viruses cause 20% of colds. They sometimes lead to severe infections, like
pneumonia, in young children.