General Question

RedDeerGuy1's avatar

Can one catch a cold or flu twice?

Asked by RedDeerGuy1 (24882points) March 6th, 2020

Anything. Or does one have immunity to the same illness? Including covid19?

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7 Answers

si3tech's avatar

Yes you can.

JLeslie's avatar

Generally no. When you get a cold you are immune to that particular cold. The problem is there are about 200 different rhinoviruses. The rhinovirus causes colds.

Same with flu, you get a particular strain of H1N1, you are now immune to that flu, but H1N1 can mutate, and there are many other flus, so you can still get the flu, but not the exact same one.

Bacterial infections you typically don’t build that type of immunity. You can get strep throat more than once.

johnpowell's avatar

Not enough data on COVID-19 yet to be sure.

But everything I have heard/read suggests that I wouldn’t count on it being a one-time thing. And you would still have to be tested to know you have it or else the entire thing is moot. And if you are tested it would be best to ask the person doing the test the question since they will probably have better in than we do.

YARNLADY's avatar

Yes, there are so many types of cold, we can catch several different ones.

Sagacious's avatar

Yes indeed

Dutchess_III's avatar

Not if they’re caused by a particular virus. You can only get sick from that virus one time. That’s why young kids are sick all the time, but you rarely see old people with colds.

Sagacious's avatar

@Dutchess_III If your immune system is not strong you can get the same virus over and over.

https://www.businessinsider.com/wuhan-coronavirus-risk-of-reinfection-2020-2?op=1

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