Aussie commuter’s rant about sick people on public transport backfires

What is the actual answer here? 

Just three days into winter and Aussies are already losing their minds over the rapid spread of winter illnesses. 

Between daycare, school, work, and taking public transport... it's inevitable that your house will be plagued at some point in the coming weeks or months. 

But one Melbourne local has had enough of people's inability to rest up when they're sick and has gone on an epic rant online about people doing the "wrong thing". 

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Crowded trains in winter are always a recipe for virus spreading. Image: Supplied

Why are people NOT staying home? 

"As I take the train in to the office on another mandatory day for a job that can be done remotely, listening to the feral coughing and spluttering their lungs up in the seat across the aisle, I ask myself why are people not staying home (or at least wearing a mask when sick?)," the man wrote on Reddit. 

"I’m looking forward to symptoms kicking in a couple of days time. Had my flu shot but who knows what they have," he added. 

It was a rant that he was hoping to attract others who agreed with him, but it didn't take long for people in the subreddit to turn the matter on the OP himself. 

RELATED: Aussies obsessed with act of kindness on public transport

It’s not that easy, buddy

Instead of people agreeing with the Aussie, they took the opportunity to quickly point out the real reasons behind people coughing in public. 

"I usually have a cough linger for weeks... Yeah I mean stay home for a couple days once you get sick initially as you are actually contagious, but at some point you have to go back to work. The mortgage will not pay itself," someone commented. "Late last year I had a cough for about 6 weeks."

"I’m asthmatic and cough, but I promise I’m not sick," another added. 

And another agreed, sometimes it's not the flu that is causing them to show symptoms similar.

"I get allergies that means dusty seats on trains and buses always make me sneeze, I'm not sick in the slightest."

Stay home if you're sick, says the Redditor. Image: Supplied

RELATED: Is it RSV, the flu or just a head cold? Here’s the difference

The annoying cycle of being employed

While many wanted to remind the OP that coughs can linger or weeks, if not months, others couldn't help but backfire with comments about how our current economic challenges mean we are forced to work even when we are sure we're not well enough to do so. 

"Hate the game, not the player. I think it's gross too but then I think that most of these people genuinely can't afford to take time off when they're sick, and then I get sad," someone said. 

"My employer would rather let sick people come into the office than give them an extra day WFH. People have to pay rent and bills and have no choice. I dont agree with it but, yeah,"
 another added. 

Another Aussie agreed: "The bigger issue I have is why are employers sending employees into the office when it can be done remotely?" while another person just got angry at the fact that this kind of question even gets asked. 

"Are you going to pay the rent and bills for people who don’t have sick leave or need the money to pay for food for their kids? No? Not everyone gets the luxury to stay home when they are unwell. Rant over," they wrote. 

Meanwhile, other commuters said they had smart ways to deter other passengers hovering around themand avoid catching anything from anyone.

"I wear a mask so people don't sit next to me on the train," someone shared. 

"Hey!!! That's my tactic!!" another laughed. 

OR... you know, if you're concerned, you could always wear a mask as a preventative yourself? 

Aussie GP’s flu warning as season starts early

You're not imagining things if you think everything seems to be sick right now.

Aussies have been warned that the 2025 flu season has well and truly arrived, with a significant increase in cases leading up to winter when compared to previous years.

So far this year, there have also been 72,750 reported cases of COVID-19, and 58,197 of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) according to the Department of Health’s National Notifiable Disease Surveillance System.

But, the most concerning part is just who is getting sick, with kids hit the hardest this time around.

“We are also seeing significant cases in Aussie kids which is different to past decades where adults and the elderly would be hit hardest,” Kidspot's resident GP, Dr Sam Hay told Kidspot.

Children under the age of 4 make up just under one third of all diagnoses across these three illnesses, with those aged under 19 making up 38% of all diagnoses.

“The flu season in 2025 has threatened to be a bigger one compared to the last few years,” he added. 

For the flu specifically, these numbers change to 11% and 38% respectively, with the largest proportion of flu diagnoses instead being in the 5-9 age range.

“Bottom line is that Influenza is out there, it causes significant issues for people with illness and time off work, and it can be deadly."

Originally published as Aussie commuter’s rant about sick people on public transport backfires