It used to be thought that if you did not dress accordingly before going out into cold weather, then it was likely you might be told, “If you go out like that, you’ll catch your death.” People automatically connected getting a cold or a similar virus from exposure to cold weather conditions.
Then there was a change of viewpoint. It was believed there was no direct correlation between the two. One of the exceptions to this was the fact that windows are kept closed during cold weather, so if someone in a household or an office environment develops a cold, then it is more likely to transfer and infect other members. That certainly makes sense.
However, today we have more research to indicate whether cold is a physical factor in catching a cold. This research has shown that there is another level of our immune system located in the nose. They saw that when bacteria entered the nasal passage; remember that the common cold is a virus. That is why antibiotic medications do not work on viruses. They witnessed that lots of fluid-filled sacs were released to fight the bacteria.
Further research showed that the same response also happened when a virus entered the nose. Now, the common cold encompasses three types of viruses. Two of them are known as rhinoviruses and one is a covid virus. Do not worry, we are not talking about the COVID-19 virus which is a respiratory virus and not the same as the common cold or the flu.
To test whether colder conditions had any effect on this immune response, they took several healthy volunteers and subjected them to laboratory-induced cold. They brought the nasal passage down from normal room temperature to five degrees Celsius. The result was the immune response was weakened. Other than hearsay, this was the first scientific evidence that the cold can cause a greater chance of catching the cold virus. So, that is one of the reasons that more people catch a cold in the winter months.
Other reasons include what was said earlier about people being closer together with windows and doors closed, viruses also survive longer in cold conditions and we tend not to do as much exercise or get out in winter. Scientists believe all of these reasons and perhaps others we have not investigated all supply a component as to why we get colds in winter.
John Pullen 