Not for all. I'd like to think that most people could take a few days off for it, but can't pay for rent and food without working.

Even working on the farm, I rarely could take a sick day. Cows won't milk themselves and you can't tell them to hold it for a few days either.

For most people, if you actually have the flu rather than a bad cold - and there's no easy way to tell since symptoms are similar, an actual flu will have you bed-ridden for at least a day.

I don't mean that people should take a few days off, they should, but that may not be possible, I mean that you'll have a period where you're not capable of more than basic tasks.

You gotta work if you want to eat. For most Americans, at least.