Common Cold
While many may not realise, the common cold, is also a viral illness. While all individuals with a cold may have similar symptoms, there are over 200 viruses that can cause the common cold meaning that no one is really completely immune. Common cold generally infects the upper respiratory tract and may sometimes infect the eye or the ears.
While it is rumoured that exposure to cold a cold environment results in catching the common cold due to the higher rate of catching a cold during such conditions, it has been scientifically proven otherwise. As people tend to stay indoors in such cold temperature, their interactions indoors will naturally increase. This will then infect one another by physical contact or simply inhaling the viral breaths of another individual.
According to the school's (YIS) absence counter for each grades, February ~ March is approximately the cold/flu season. Therefore, it is worth noting that you avoid contact with other individuals and stay alert for coughs. It is also important to keep in mind that staying indoors will not help and you will still need to stay alert in order to avoid catching a cold.
Symptoms
With the average human experiencing at least one incidence of catching a cold every year, the incubation period of the common cold is very short (a day or two) and can show a variety of symptoms ranging from:
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sore throat,
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headache,
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muscle pain,
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fever and so on.
Methods of transmission of the common cold ranges from spreading airborne through an individual’s breath (the moisture and the respiratory droplets) and physically through an infected individual’s touch.
The most abundant method of treatment for the common cold is to simply rest the body, eat well, keep hydrated and relieving the pain. Also, it is advised to reduce the amount of antibody/medicine consumption as they have no effect on the common cold. Overdose of medicine may end up in drug resistance. Instead, it is strongly advised to rest well at home and limit physical interactions with other people whilst keeping a distance from others.
While there may be numerous painkillers which reduces the overall effect of the symptoms, there are no antibodies that directly eliminates the viruses of a common cold. In order to minimise the chances of catching a cold, look at: