• Skip to main content
  • Skip to footer
Zippy Facts

Zippy Facts

Interesting Random Facts

Is there any way to stop from getting a cold?

By Karen Hill

There are no guarantees, but there are some ways to cut your risks.

The most important are avoiding crowds, especially during the peak cold seasons of September, late January, and April; avoiding people who obviously have colds; avoiding shaking hands with people who might have them; avoiding rubbing the nose and eyes; and washing your hands, washing your hands, washing your hands.

These precautions may help because of the way colds are often spread: not just through infected droplets in the air but through particles carried by hand to eye and nose membranes.

The greatest share of colds are caused by rhinoviruses (about a third) and coronaviruses (about 10 percent). Rhinoviruses seem to spread best in droplets from a runny nose, though they may also be sprayed by coughs and sneezes.

Once virus particles land on a surface or someone’s hands, they may remain active for several hours. Then the virus can go from hand to face to eye and nose membranes.

Someone with a cold can be contagious even before signs of illness appear and for a couple of days after it is obvious, so one cannot entirely prevent colds by avoiding people with symptoms, but it helps.

Other useful measures are eating a balanced diet, which is associated with a lower susceptibility, and staying away from children, who get five to eight cold infections a year. Those younger than 2 have the most.

Related

  • How do Credit Card Companies stop you from getting a credit card under a false name?
  • How Old Is the Milky Way Galaxy, How Big Is the Milky Way, and How Many Stars Does the Milky Way Contain?
  • Which Way Is the Milky Way Galaxy Moving and How Long Does It Take For the Milky Way To Rotate?
  • Are face masks to keep from getting a cold or other infection or is it to keep from spreading one?
  • How Did the Phrase "Getting The Cold Shoulder" Originate and What Does it Mean?
  • When Were Stop Signs Invented and What Was the First City In the World To Use Stop Signs?

Filed Under: Science

About Karen Hill

Karen Hill is a freelance writer, editor, and columnist. Born in New York, her work has appeared in the Examiner, Yahoo News, Buzzfeed, among others.

Footer

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • LinkedIn
  • Pinterest
  • Twitter
  • YouTube
Accomplishments Animals Culture Finance Firsts Food Geography Health History Inventions Language Law Mythology Odds People Plants Religion Science Space The World Universe Your Body

About · Privacy · Contact
Copyright © 2019 Zippy Facts