Not to want a cold?

Perhaps you could 'develop' a bad cold or 'flu and put them off?

No YANBU at all! I've got a very heavy cold and cough at the moment and I certainly wouldn't dream of visiting people and forcing my germs on them. Very unfair. The fact that they think they'll still be good company is hardly the point
Is there any way you can gently put them off, without offending them? Perhaps a white lie that you are feeling unwell yourself and don't think you're up to it?

X posts Marmight

I've sort of done that by making a joke of their bugs and saying I didn't fancy a cold - I hope they'll get the hint but I suspect not. I can't really come up with a fake cold because I emailed them first and didn't mention feeling unwell...

I hope for your sake that they get the hint - it really annoys me when people feel free to spread their bugs around ad lib. Why not be quite open and say that you do not want to catch their cold as you have a busy schedule ahead of you? I certainly would.

I do agree with you Luckygirl. I would definitely put them off.
I remember all the 'martyrs' who used to struggle into work with their germs and expect people to admire them for their stoicism. Well, not me! I had no problem telling them they should have stayed home and kept their germs to themselves. There is nothing like a stuffy office in winter for these bugs to spread like wildfire

Definitely not unreasonable. Why do some people insist on soldiering on and infecting the rest of us?

In the 6 weeks or so before I had my hip op, friends and family were threatened with destruction if they gave me a cold; I had a history of 2 ops being cancelled because of having a cold.

I would do more than wish.
I would tell them.

same here soon- nicely but firmly. Just say you got one last year that stayed with you for many weeks and left you feeling so low- and just don't want to geo through that again. If they don't understand- do you really want their friendship?

I'm a coward. I'd say that a cold has just completely floored me...cough cough.... totally unable to cope with a visit.

Absolutely agree. I avoid germs like the plague. After a long struggle last winter with one cold and chesty cough after the other I have a huge fear of facing it all over again this year. Just TELL them. Say you're disappointed etc etc and say you look forward to making up for it when everyone is well.