Catching a cold from the rain

Image result for umbrella in rain

Source: Pinterest

Shreya Thiagarajan

Remember when mom warned you not to go out in the rain or you’d catch a cold? Most of us probably grabbed a raincoat before leaving, but did you ever wonder whether it was actually true? It’s difficult to sort out in regions (like most of the US) where the rainy season corresponds with cold and flu season.   

A cold is caused by a virus, which not influenced by rain. However, certain cold viruses (e.g. Rhinovirus) spread more easily in the winter because they function better at low temperatures. Cold weather correlates with colds but rain cannot cause you to catch a cold.

To limit your chance of catching a cold, wash your hands or sanitize them after touching things that others with a virus may have touched.  To limit spreading the cold, wear a mask, sterilize your hands, cough into your elbow, and–if possible–don’t go to work or try to work at home when you have a cold.

https://www.webmd.com/cold-and-flu/qa/can-being-cold-or-wet-cause-you-to-get-sick

https://www.healthline.com/health/does-cold-weather-xmake-you-sick#culprits

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/02/23/well/can-being-cold-make-you-sick.html

https://biology.stackexchange.com/questions/64684/why-does-the-rain-increase-our-chances-of-catching-a-cold

https://www.livestrong.com/article/496499-can-running-in-the-rain-make-you-sick/

 

8 thoughts on “Catching a cold from the rain”

  1. Hi, I read about it, yeah, cold alone and wet hair can’t make you catch a cold because that’s a virus, however I figured body cooling can lower our immune defenses, is it correct? Due to lymphatic system not working well, body overload and debilitation, united with the chance, depending on the kind of exposition to cold hair, of irritating lungs, making them more vulnerable. But it’s probably definitely correct you don’t take pneumonia from it. Also stomach congestion which can be debilitating, inducing nausea and in some cases gagging.
    It’s also very subjective, some people alraedy start not wearing socks in february, while I start at June, and it still depends on the weather :D.

  2. I’ve always told my husband (who insists you get sick from cold, rainy weather) that you can not catch a cold from that kind of weather. I don’t think he’d believe it even reading about it. How do I convince him of the facts??

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  4. I figured if you haven’t contracted a virus you are less likely to contract one in the rain simply because the humidity and rain should push everything down. This in my mind, give you less chance of contracting airborne viruses since they may be absorbed into water droplets and fall lower to the ground. Pluss the chemicals in the rain my destroy the virus (idk about that so much) but acid rain is basically normal rain now.

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