Safe to bike during Flu Season?
 

It seems safe to bike during the coronavirus. But are you worried about the weather and flu season? Experts suggest a twin-Demic.

I assume that covid is transmitted person to person but the flu can just be transmitted through cold weather and the air right?

Will ride all winter, at least what we call winter down here. Don't think I've ever caught the flu out riding. Believe the daily riding plays a part in keeping your system resistant to sickness

I believe the cold weather weakens your immune system such that you are much more susceptible to pick up the virus. You'd still have to come into contact with the virus. I suppose someone walking or riding a head of you with the flu who sneezes or coughs could possibly lead to someone coming in behind and breathing that air and getting it.

I strongly recommend not riding during 'flu season -- indeed, not riding at all. Year round.

There are simply too many hazards 'out there'. Much better to stay in a warm basement, with a secure internet connection, and post on teh Biek Forms.

If I’m not mistaken, there’s no scientific evidence that cold air does anything to your immune system.

The flu is a virus just like COVID-19. They are both transmitted person to person. The effectiveness of specific methods of transmission i.e. breathing on someone, or contact with contaminated surfaces will be different between the two, but neither one of them are transmitted through cold weather, and both can be transmitted through the air.

To answer the other part of your question, I'm no more worried about catching the flu from biking than I am of catching COVID-19 from biking. The risk of close contact with an infected individual while on a bike outdoors is minuscule, and if you are taking precautions such as wearing a mask and social distancing to prevent yourself from catching COVID-19, those precautions are also effective at preventing you from catching the flu.

Got that flu shot yet? Highly advised even for folks who stay indoors.

Exactly. There's a vaccine for flu.

I do wonder whether this flu season will be that bad, since everyone's masked and distancing and washing hands, which is exactly what you'd do to slow the spread of the flu.

actually there’s a strong possibility that the flu season will be very mild this year. The population has likely never before been as primed to minimize spread of an airborne virus. The precautions you take against Covid will protect you equally from flu

Plan on skiing this winter, parking the bikes, not too worried.
Tim

Along these lines when I mentioned to my sister who is a nurse and helps out at flu shot clinics that I was going to get my flu shot this week she suggested I wait until Oct. Her take is the vaccine antibodies lose strength over time and the vaccine is only effective for 6 months so it is better to wait until closer to the start of flu season so you will have the best protection durning over the winter.

not the cold air that's helping, the fact that you are out riding, getting the blood flowing on a regular basis

I mean no negative effects of cold air. Lots of people seem to think just being out in the cold will make you sick. I rode my trainer last winter many times in below freezing temps in my garage wearing shorts and a short sleeve shirt.

The more time you spend outside the better. Winter viruses are spread when we are inside too close together for too long. You have better than a 99% chance of being just fine as long as you don't have other issues, don't fall for the fear mongering.

The same mitigation methods used to fight spread of covid-19 will also help against seasonal influenza: mask use, social distancing, hygiene. And seasonal influenza has an additional, effective mitigation tool that is lacking for covid-19: vaccination.

there's a flu vaccine. I failed to get one for several years and got lucky, but I am starting to get one every year. costs nothing, takes two minutes at the grocery store pharmacy, and probably saves me from missing a week of life lying in bed.

I gave it serious consideration before deciding that there is no way I can embellish this comment.

My mother thinks that way. Probably all of our mothers do.

Just like how watching TV in a dark room will ruin our eyesight.

It doesn't? Huh! I was taught that doing that was one of two sure-fire ways to ruin one's eyesight.

agree:)

I agree, and in fact, ride all year, including throughout New Jersey winters (unless there is snow/ice on the roads).

Since I've been riding regularly, i.e. for the last 8 or 9 years, my resistance has actually become much stronger. SInce that time I've no longer come down with my once per winter, generally late winter, flu/severe cold and cough. Of course that's just anecdotal, but certainly fresh air does wonders.

Best regards

I live in Phoenix and have never really had to change my lifestyle For flu season. I would worry more about flu season if I was in a gym environment using the same equipment that other people were just using.

Totally agree. I rarely get sick- having a healthy lifestyle will certainly reduce the risk of catching something. Keep riding!

I think I've generally had less flu and colds since I started bike commuting year-round. Some of the cause is probably clearing my sinuses before and after work (beneficial side effect of snot rockets! :) and some is probably better health in general because of the exercise. Some of it may just be regular deep breathing to clear my lungs out before the respired viruses I pick up indoors, with all the infectious people, can colonize my airways.

Well, not everybody. :( Which, of course, is why we are still having flare-ups of Covid. :(

My mom used to tell me to not sit on cold ground or I would catch a cold in my back.