During cold and flu season I get a bit OCD about hand washing, not letting others use my pens and pencils, and wiping doorknobs, keyboards and phone sets at work with disinfectant wipes regularly. After two bouts of pneumonia secondary to influenza I haven't missed getting a flu shot in 20+ years.

I also have had the PPSV23 pneumonia vaccine and plan on getting the PPSV13 vaccine the day I turn 65 and my insurance will cover it. Sooner if I have some extra cash that I don't spend on birdseed:>) Am also going to get the shingles vaccine this year.

I attribute getting fewer colds in the past several years to a combination of better hygiene practices on my part, more of my colleagues staying home when they have respiratory illness than used to occur, and having lived long enough and had enough cold viruses over 60+ years to have resulted in immunity to the more common in circulation.