[core-questions]

In the sense that people with rhinovirus symptoms usually say "I have a cold", yes.

It seems it's best to think of "cold" and "flu" as totally informal terms with a wide range of possible meanings. I've had Actual Real Influenza twice and both times it knocked me on my ass for a week, lost weight, etc. yet I hear people saying "I have the flu" when they have mild symptoms and only miss a single day of work. Hard to take such a wide range medically seriously.

[foobarbaz33]

> I hear people saying "I have the flu" when they have mild symptoms and only miss a single day of work.

They could have had influezna with mild symptoms. Two different people can have the same influenza virus enter their body and experience different effects. Anywhere from no symptoms at all to death.