i've only really been hit bad with the flu once as an adult so can't compare. funnily enough, it was around that christmas before the covid stuff kicked off. i felt kind of shit for 5 days over the christmas period. but i had been working hard, dealing with some major stress, eating like shit and drinking too much so i've put it down to that more than anything. i've not felt like i've had any kind of illness since. i'm still somewhat sceptical that "covid" is even a thing and not just the flu, but either way what i do know for sure is that i now hear "i was really sick, i think it was covid!" or "jill is off sick (again), it sounds really bad, i think she has covid!" i even heard one normie tell me that they felt really sick and took a test, but it wasn't covid - they were tangibly disappointed, knowing that having covid would have been more interesting/exciting to the other normies. (and as if those stupid little made in china bits of plastic are doing any rigorous medical diagnoses but that's another conversation.)  none of these normies ever talk about the flu any more. they're not petrified of covid any more, but as far as i can tell "the flu" has definitely been upgraded from "that sucks but not a big deal" to something everyone is obliged to take seriously now.
United Kingdom