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Comment by thelean12 | Hacker News Reader

On the other hand, I don't think I've ever gotten a cold/the flu, at least not since I was a young kid, and I don't take much care to do anything on your list. Sure, I'll wash my hands after using a restroom or before prepping food. But I'll definitely walk into a restaurant (pre-covid) and just start eating a burger without washing my hands first.

I feel the biggest factor is just what body and immune system you have... Some people I know just get sick constantly, multiple times a year, and they don't seem to do much of anything differently than I do. I don't think they're secretly licking doorknobs when no one is looking.

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Even though the plural of anecdotes is not data, I must say that my personal experience matches yours as well. I pay no attention to disinfection or antiseptic cleanliness, and I can't remember the last time I was actually ill. In the good old days, whenever someone would "warn" me that they were a bit sick before hugging/sharing a bottle/shaking hands/etc, I would even joke “Don't worry, I don't believe in the germ theory of disease”, because in my personal experience it wasn't worth the effort to avoid it. Needless to say, that joke is now retired—not only because there are very good reasons to be cautious regarding COVID-19, but also because with so much bizarre denialism that has trended lately someone might even believe I was saying it seriously.

Damn I wish I had your immune system. Pre-covid I would get sick every September and probably 2 other times in the year (I would have the flu jab every November too!). I'm a germaphobe so wash my hands before eating, etc. I also try and stay fit, don't smoke and hardly drink alcohol.

Unless there's a trick I'm missing here?

Just a thought — the trick might be trying to be less of a germaphobe to build up your immune system (not medical advice).

Also not medical advice, but since I stopped being a germaphobe in 2016, I haven't gotten sick. Maybe it has to do with being less stressed in general, too.

YMMV :)

So after my daughter was born 6 years ago I had to reduce my germaphobe habits, simply because it's not possible/practicable. Perhaps after a few more years of being around young children I'll build up my immune system...

(not medical advice, but this is my style).

How was your upbringing? Did you have to use things like public transport when you were young? I imagine some of the early exposures and immune system build up might have good impact later on in life.

I am not germaphobe. When people saw someone with flu, they would stay away, i was indifferent. I'd just tell them i am ok with the risk, and most likely i would not even get sick, or if i did, it'd be a very very mild one. I never did.

The moment i read about covid 19 and lack of evidence for touch based spread (which was very very early on in pandemic, really), i stopped caring about many things (but ended up still doing some for a while because my wife asked me to). We still met with some people etc.

I had to use a train to get to school, so lots of public transport use I guess. I only really became germaphobe in my 20s so it's not like a lead a sheltered childhood.

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