Can I still Get the Common Cold This Spring?

Your Chances of Developing the Common Cold This Spring

Along with warmer weather and blooming flowers, the springtime can bring on a barrage of illnesses too. While wearing masks, social distancing, and improving your hand hygiene are practices helping many avoid COVID-19, it may not always protect us from less troubling infections like colds, stomach bugs, and even strep throat.

Viruses that Cause the Common Cold

That’s right — you can still get the common cold even while you’re wearing a face mask. According to Campbell County Health Infection Preventionist Kimberly Lindeman, this is because some illness-causing germs, such as the rhinovirus, live longer on surfaces than COVID-19.“SARS-CoV-2 causes COVID-19; however, hundreds of different viruses can cause the common cold,” she says.

Rhinoviruses and noroviruses are some of the most common culprits for bringing on the common cold. These viruses are also more resistant to sanitizers and disinfectants, and may last longer on fingertips and surfaces., surviving up to 3 hours outside of the nasal lining. So, if you have caught a cold despite wearing masks and practicing other safety protocols this year, it is likely from touching surfaces that are infected with one of these viruses.

Preventing the Common Cold

Kim explains further: “Even when we believe we are being extra careful, there is room for error. Good hand hygiene, masking, and social distancing all help to keep us healthy. However, if we take our mask off, contaminate our hands and touch our face, we could accidentally expose ourselves. Tiny interactions like touching an infected door knob and then eating without washing our hands could lead to catching a cold.”

You can be without symptoms for 24 to 48 hours and still spread respiratory diseases as well. So we can be spreading the disease without even feeling sick!

Treating the Common Cold

Since colds are caused by viruses, treatment with antibiotics won’t work. Some signs of a cold include a stuffy, runny nose; scratchy, tickly throat; sneezing; watery eyes; and a low-grade fever. Cold symptoms can last from several days to several weeks. If your symptoms get worse, contact your healthcare provider.

Moral of the story: continue to wash your hands, wear a mask, social distance, don’t come to work sick, and give yourself a break if you do get sick.

CCH is open, safe and ready to see you.

With almost 80 physicians, physician assistants and nurse practitioners in nearly 20 specialties, CCH is committed to your wellbeing right here at home. If you have been putting off a visit to your doctor for a regular checkup, contact them; they can help weigh your personal healthcare risk and avoid further delayed diagnoses.

Visit www.cchwyo.org/findadoc to find your provider or clinic.