{"id":23364,"date":"2020-12-15T03:03:04","date_gmt":"2020-12-15T03:03:04","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/?p=23364"},"modified":"2020-12-16T17:16:38","modified_gmt":"2020-12-16T17:16:38","slug":"will-going-out-in-the-cold-give-you-a-cold","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.lifeandnews.com\/articles\/will-going-out-in-the-cold-give-you-a-cold\/","title":{"rendered":"Will going out in the cold give you a cold?"},"content":{"rendered":"

Libby Richards<\/a>, Purdue University<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n

Many of us have heard: \u201cDon\u2019t go outside without a coat; you\u2019ll catch a cold.\u201d<\/p>\n

That\u2019s not exactly true. As with many things, the reality is more complicated. Here\u2019s the distinction: Being cold isn\u2019t why you get a cold. But it is true that cold weather makes it easier to get the cold or flu. It is still too early to tell how weather impacts the COVID-19 virus, but scientists are starting to think it behaves differently than cold and flu viruses.<\/p>\n

As an associate professor of nursing<\/a> with a background in public health, I\u2019m asked about this all the time. So here\u2019s a look at what actually happens.<\/p>\n

Many viruses, including rhinovirus<\/a> \u2013 the usual culprit in the common cold \u2013 and influenza, remain infectious longer and replicate faster in colder temperatures. That\u2019s why these viruses spread more easily in winter. Wearing a heavy coat won\u2019t necessarily make a difference.<\/p>\n

\"Two
The cold weather does have an impact on whether or not you catch a cold.<\/span>
\nSpencer Platt via Getty Images<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Virus transmission is easier when it\u2019s cold<\/h2>\n

More specifically, cold weather can change the outer membrane<\/a> of the influenza virus; it makes the membrane more solid and rubbery. Scientists believe that the rubbery coating makes person-to-person transmission of the virus easier.<\/p>\n

It\u2019s not just cold winter air that causes a problem. Air that is dry in addition to cold has been linked to flu outbreaks. A National Institutes of Health study suggests that dry winter air<\/a> further helps the influenza virus to remain infectious longer.<\/p>\n

How your immune system responds during cold weather also matters a great deal. Inhaling cold air<\/a> may adversely affect the immune response in your respiratory tract, which makes it easier for viruses to take hold. That\u2019s why wearing a scarf over your nose and mouth may help.<\/p>\n

Also, most people get less sunlight in the winter. That is a problem because the Sun is a major source of vitamin D<\/a>, which is essential for immune system health<\/a>. Physical activity, another factor, also tends to drop during the winter<\/a>. People are three times more likely<\/a> to delay exercise in snowy or icy conditions.<\/p>\n

Instead, people spend more time indoors. That usually means more close contact with others, which leads to disease spread. Respiratory viruses generally spread within a six-foot radius of an infected person. When you are indoors, it is very likely that you are closer together than six feet.<\/p>\n

In addition, cold weather dries out<\/a> your eyes and the mucous membranes in your nose and throat. Because viruses that cause colds and flu are typically inhaled, the virus can attach more easily to these impaired, dried-out passages.<\/p>\n

\"A
Spending more time indoors can increase the chances of catching a cold.<\/span>
\nRawpixel via Getty Images<\/a><\/span><\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

What you can do<\/h2>\n

While the bottom line is that being wet and cold doesn\u2019t make you sick, there are strategies to help prevent illness all year long.<\/p>\n