I know two people that had a severe illness in the past month or so, bad sore throat, bed for days. Not strep and not covid.
The only thing I can compare my Winter illness to is one many years ago when my boss flew back from Cancun. He was very sick, but was the sort who never took a day off.
I had the worst ‘flu that Summer than I’ve ever had, laid out for two weeks.
Influenza just Is. It’s a very opportunistic critter, and will be with us forever.