We are right in the middle of cold and flu season, which now has broadened its horizons to include COVID and RSV.  Technically cold and flu season runs from October through May.  But the “season” peaks in mid-December through February, making now a good time to debunk some very prevalent myths about the common cold.  Thanks mostly to our parents and their parents, these myths have had amazing staying power despite being totally false (sorry, Mom)!   

Myth:  Going outside with wet hair or without a jacket (gloves, hat, scarf, etc.) will cause you to catch a cold.  

It is hard to figure out where this idea came from, but exposure to the elements, without proper outerwear or with wet hair, will not cause you to catch a cold (although frostbite and frozen hair are distinct possibilities, depending on the temperature).  There is a distinct difference between feeling cold and getting a cold.  Only exposure to the cold virus will give you a cold. 

Myth:  Vitamin C prevents colds.   

This myth has an obvious origin.  In the 1970s, two-time Nobel prize winning biochemist, Linus Pauling published a book titled “Vitamin C and the Common Cold,” which popularized the idea that high doses of vitamin C could effectively prevent and alleviate the common cold.  First, Pauling’s Nobel prizes had nothing to do with vitamin C.  He won (Chemistry, 1954) for his work on chemical bonding and (Peace, 1962) for his activism against nuclear weapons.  Second, Pauling did not conduct any research to back up his claim.  He simply reviewed research on vitamin C’s effect on body functions and its ability to prevent scurvy and extrapolated. There is no definitive research that has shown that vitamin C can prevent colds. But, of course, this has not stopped supplement makers from happily perpetuating the myth. 

Myth:  If you have a fever it’s not a cold, it’s something worse. 

This myth probably has its roots in observation and assumption (never assume!).  It is true that the flu virus generally causes more severe symptoms than the cold virus.  But both cold and flu can cause fatigue, achiness, and fever.  Fever is one of the ways our bodies get rid of virus and bacterial interlopers, no matter what kind they are.  

Myth:  Feed a cold, starve a fever. 

This is another myth with an unknown origin story.  It also doesn’t really make much sense.  First, as we just mentioned, a cold can come with a fever.  Staying nourished and, more importantly, hydrated helps recovery from all viruses, with or without fever.  Believe it or not, one adage that has proven true is that chicken soup is the best medicine.  Chicken soup offers important nutrients, hydration, and steam, which can help clear congestion! 

Myth:   If you have a cold, you should avoid dairy because it produces more mucus.  

Research shows that dairy consumption does not increase mucus production, nor does it make mucous thicker. This belief may stem from the texture of dairy products creating a temporary, thicker feeling in the mouth and throat.  In fact, if your cold comes with a sore throat, ice cream can be an excellent, soothing idea.  It also provides energy when you don’t feel like eating. 

Myth:  You’re not contagious unless you have symptoms. 

The COVID pandemic should have shown us that viruses don’t work that way.  While COVID is contagious two days before symptoms appear, the cold will spread the day before.  During the first four days of a cold, even people with very few symptoms are particularly contagious.  Also, viruses can stay in the body for weeks after symptoms are gone, but their chances of spreading become lower with each day after the first four. 

Myth:  The right medication can cure a cold. 

No medicine can cure a cold.  Antibiotics, often overprescribed for colds, can only cure bacterial infections, not viral ones like cold and flu.  Cold medicines and fever reducers only treat the symptoms of a cold, not the cold itself.  That must run its course.  Unfortunately, cold medicines often make people feel better enough to go out in public or back to the office, where they can share their viruses with lots of other people.  Use cold medicine to make yourself feel better, but please wait the requisite four days before coming into close contact with other people. 

Myth:  The cold virus is everywhere, and there’s not much we can do about it. 

It’s true that the cold virus gets around, but we should have learned from the pandemic that there are plenty of things we can do to reduce our risk of catching one. 

• Wash hands well and frequently with soap and warm water. 

• Use hand sanitizer in between washings. 

• Clean common surfaces with disinfectant regularly, and twice a day if someone at home is sick.  

• Stay hydrated and eat well. 

• Get enough sleep. 

• If you are going to be in close contact with people who could be sick, or if you are sick yourself and out in public, you really should consider wearing a mask.