[fuhrysteve]

> I think just a mere existence of flu or cold was a mistake. We should have eradicated those years ago.

It's not clear to me how eradicating these would have ever been possible in the past, or will be in the foreseeable future. The flu has (probably) been around since at least 6000 BC, and numerous strains can be spread by birds & many other species.

[EdwinLarkin]

I thought this is more or less a logistical nightmare. We cant create and distribute that many vaccines for the N number of strains.

It would be possible but we just never really tried.

[majewsky]

No, a significant part of it is that immunity is temporary. The article describes a particular cold virus where immunity lasts about 40 weeks, hence it resurges every winter.