by Sammy Stein

Created on: January 06, 2010

The common cold is caused by a number of viruses which live in our noses, on our skin and on surfaces we touch. Cold or wet weather does not cause the virus but it can make people more susceptible to catching the virusesand succumbing to a cold. 

When the weather is cold or wet we tend to remain indoors for longer periods of time. Viral particles are transmitted in droplets from person to person or fromsurfaces we touch and when you are in closer contact with people your chances of catching a cold virus increase naturally. In the summer, air movement plus distance from others by being more outdoors reduce the chance of catching a cold virus and developing the symptoms of high temperature, runny or blocked nose and sore throut.

In cold or wet weather too our immune systems may be lowered which makes us more susceptible to catching cold viruses, or rather, not fighting them off when we do catch them. Naturally, we are in contact with viruses for much of the time but our immune systems quickly swing into action and leukocytes in our blood (white blood cells specialised in fighting invasive particles like bacteria and viruses) smother and kill the viral particles before they can invade our cells and tissues. However, when we are struggling to keep warm our immune system's efficiency is lowered, making us more likely to be overwhelmed by viral particles we come into contact with. These multiply and cause the symptoms of the common cold.

Humid environments like wet eather mean viral particles stand a greater chance of remaining valid and so our chances of catching a cold increase slightly in wet weather or where the humidity is high.

So, cold or wet weather do not actually cause a cold but they increase our chances of succumbing to the viruses and developing a cold.

In cold or wet weather, we wear hats, gloves and protection from the elements but we touch these a great deal so viral particles are transferred from garment to garment and we tend to wash warm clothing less so the viral particles are then transferred from our clothes and hands to our bodies where they can multiply and invade our bodies.

To remain as cold free as possible it is important to follow good hygiene such as washing you hands regularly - recently an experiment showed that the common conception of colds being transferred by kissing on the cheek or hugging is less likely than cold viruses simply being transferred from hands. A group of people were given colored powder representing a cold virus on their lips and this showed under UV light. They greeted everyone by kissing them on the cheek and when the lights went on, the dye could clearly be seen but it remained on the side of the face where the lips made contact. The other group were given colored powder on their hands and the dye showed up later around their mouths, noses,eyes and all over their faces which demonstrates that the biggest cause of viral spread is through our hands (if the coloured powder were viral particles).

Hand washing and basic hygiene remains the most basic and easiest way to avoid the cold virus no matter what the weather is doing.

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