Timeline for Does being cold increase your chances of catching the common cold?
Current License: CC BY-SA 2.5
21 events
| when toggle format | what | by | license | comment | |
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| Mar 10, 2015 at 16:19 | comment | added | beiller | I want to add this comment. Cold weather also helps spread viruses for another reason - because people tend to gather indoors when it is cold, which helps spread diseases from person to person from being in an enclosed space. Co-relation is not causation however and we see that cold weather alone cannot cause a cold. | |
| Dec 13, 2011 at 14:12 | comment | added | Ustice | @endolith of course viri can be dormant or even go to spore form. You can even catch some viri from simple skin contact. For instance, you could catch the rhino virus by drinking from a glass that someone who was infected drank from and left in an otherwise empty room. While you didn't have direct contact with them, you would still be exposed to the virus. This still has nothing to do with the temperature other than at what temperature ranges the virus can "survive." (In quotes because there is debate on if viri are indeed alive) serc.carleton.edu/microbelife/yellowstone/viruslive.html | |
| Dec 13, 2011 at 2:57 | comment | added | endolith | @Ustice: Do you really have to be in contact with others in order to be infected by a virus? The viruses can't hang out inside your nose in a dormant form until you become more susceptible? | |
| Sep 30, 2011 at 13:00 | comment | added | tenfour | I think this question is so interesting because of the anecdotal ways in which people elaborate the "cold temp causes colds" assumption. It's obvious that at most it's a correlation; everyone would agree that cold temperatures could not magically summon a rhino virus out of thin air. But nonetheless, people act as if "feeling cold" for any reason will lead to catching this particular virus, basically it's a simple case of confusing correlation with causation. I bite my tongue on the subject; I'm glad to see a discussion on this site about it. | |
| Mar 12, 2011 at 8:49 | comment | added | Konrad Rudolph | @Solus Sorry, I forgot to mention that the problem had already been cleared up. For details see the comments below my own answer. You were right. What I failed to take into account was the effect of temperature on the carrier aerosol. Anyway, I think your edit has still improved your answer. | |
| Mar 11, 2011 at 22:28 | history | edited | Mark Lapierre | CC BY-SA 2.5 |
Clarification and relevant research
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| Mar 11, 2011 at 22:18 | comment | added | Mark Lapierre | @Konrad: The research I provided links to shows that temperature is relevant to viruses surviving outside the body. The research you provided a link to does suggest that a cold environment increases susceptibility to infections, but it also acknowledges contradictory research, and it doesn't say that viruses are unaffected. I'll edit my answer to reflect the role of cold on susceptibility. | |
| Mar 9, 2011 at 9:44 | comment | added | Konrad Rudolph | @Solus My point is that temperature is irrelevant to the virus’ survival outside the body – at least as long as this temperature doesn’t surpass the body’s. Which it very rarely does in most climates. So whether it’s 6°C or 30°C outside would be irrelevant for the virus’ proliferation. In fact, the research says that cold weather has an effect on our lungs, not on the virus. Their conclusion is the opposite of yours. See also Wikipedia: Common cold risk factors | |
| Mar 8, 2011 at 21:49 | comment | added | Mark Lapierre | @Konrad: Body temperature is irrelevant to the viruses ability to survive outside the body. Also, there's data supporting the conclusion. Your certainty that it's wrong doesn't change the results of the research. How is it wrong? | |
| Mar 7, 2011 at 18:40 | comment | added | Konrad Rudolph | I’m wary of the virus’ relation to temperatures (= I think it’s wrong). No matter how cold it is outside, and no matter how little clothing you wear, your body temperature will never be anywhere near 23°C, let alone 6°C. And I also don’t see how these temperatures influence the virus’ spread. Humidity – yes. Cold weather? No. If the virus didn’t survive (substantially) warmer climates, it couldn’t survive in our bodies. In summary, I’m pretty sure the answer is wrong. | |
| Mar 7, 2011 at 5:11 | comment | added | Mark Lapierre | @Philip: Not that I recall, but it seems reasonable. If anyone else finds a similar study, please post a link. | |
| Mar 5, 2011 at 22:24 | comment | added | Philip | Had the possible correlation crowded rooms/better virus spread in the winter been discussed in the study? | |
| Mar 3, 2011 at 5:45 | comment | added | Mark Lapierre | Right. I vaguely remember a study or two about that part of it. If I can find them again I'll edit them into my answer. | |
| Mar 2, 2011 at 13:38 | comment | added | Ustice | How many times have you heard mother's tell their kids that they need to put a sweater on, or they will catch a cold while playing outside, even if they were just playing in the front yard. I was just pointing out that if you are just in a cold environment without contact with others that might already be sick, you aren't likely to increase your risk of infection. | |
| Mar 2, 2011 at 9:32 | comment | added | Mark Lapierre | @Ustice: What do you mean? | |
| Mar 1, 2011 at 16:03 | vote | accept | Nanne | ||
| Feb 28, 2011 at 13:53 | comment | added | Ustice | Note that this does not say anything about simply going out in a cold environment, and not having exposure to the virus in that time. | |
| Feb 26, 2011 at 21:54 | history | edited | Mark Lapierre | CC BY-SA 2.5 |
removed hyperbole; deleted 4 characters in body
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| Feb 26, 2011 at 19:47 | comment | added | Suma | "only because" : Even if the explanation about virus conditions is true, it does not necessarily mean there are not other factors as well influencing. | |
| Feb 26, 2011 at 8:02 | comment | added | Nanne | That is good point! | |
| Feb 25, 2011 at 22:44 | history | answered | Mark Lapierre | CC BY-SA 2.5 |