If you’ve ever thought that being
cold causes a cold, you’re wrong. Contrary to popular belief, you cannot catch a cold or flu virus from being cold, even though cold and
flu symptoms tend to appear during the winter months.
Wash your hands early and often!
Common colds and
flu are caused by viral infection of the upper respiratory tract.
1 So why do we tend to experience more cold and
flu episodes during the colder seasons?
Disinfect surfaces
To avoid catching a cold or flu, make sure you’re aware of the common cold causes. Keep your distance from infected friends, family and acquaintances, and wash your hands regularly with soap and water to reduce virus counts on the skin4. Studies have found that hand washing can reduce the risk of acute respiratory infection.6
[REFERENCES]
1. Eccles, R. (2005). Understanding the symptoms of the common cold and influenza. The Lancet Infectious Diseases, 5(11), pp. 718-725.
2. Drettner, B. (1960) The nasal airway and hearing in patients with cleft palate. Acta-otolaryng. 52: pp. 131
3. Mudd, S. Grant, S. (1919) Reactions to chilling of the body surface. Experimental study of a possible mechanism for the excitation of infections of the pharynx and tonsils. J Med Res. 40: pp. 53-101
4. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Common Colds: Protect yourself and others. Available at: http://www.cdc.gov/Features/Rhinoviruses/index.html. Accessed January 2016.
5. Rabie, T. and Curtis, V. (2006) Handwashing and risk of respiratory infections: a quantitative systematic review. Tropical Medicine and International Health. 11(3), pp. 258-267.