Last week I went for a two-hour walk in the rain with a friend. After that I had a bad cold, as I often do after I’ve been cold. According to her, that is a coincidence. Can you get a cold from cold or not?
Joris Bartstra, journalist with medical diploma
Probably. Doctors thought it was bullshit for a while, but we’re thinking about it more nuanced now. A cold is an inflammation of the mucous membrane in the nose, sinuses and throat. That inflammation is caused by a cold virus. You contract the infection through other people: in the cafe, on the tram or at work. There are indications that the mucous membranes function less well when it is cold. The cells in the mucous membrane are then less able to make antibodies against pathogens. The body also sends less blood to the skin and mucous membranes in the cold to limit heat loss. This also causes the immune system to function less well on site. So you won’t get infected earlier in the cold, but an infection you’ve already contracted will become more active.
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