SCIENCE WINTER BUGS AND HOW TO AVOID THEM
Indoor gatherings are much more common during colder months, but it’s not just other people you share the air with
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AILSA HARVEY
DID YOU KNOW?
Strep throat sufferers are contagious until their fever has gone and antibiotics have been taken for 12 hours
In winter, the air is filled with festive cheer in many countries around the world – but it’s also filled with germs. As temperatures drop and people are forced to spend more time inside, they’re accompanied by snotty noses, echoing coughs and unwelcome fevers. But why does winter cause illnesses to skyrocket? The cold weather provides the ideal conditions and scenarios for viruses and bacteria to spread. Additionally, our bodies become more vulnerable to such bugs, as coldness weakens the immune system. Each element of winter doesn’t make you ill in itself, but as you spend more time cooped up indoors, it’s much more likely that you’ll encounter disease-causing microorganisms that can take advantage of your weakened bodily defences.
Instead of outdoor trips, cold weather meetups with family and friends often involve gathering inside, inhaling air exhaled by others. Even if someone doesn’t show symptoms of an illness, invisible viral particles can be transferred between people before finding an environment to multiply in. The colder and drier air dries out protective mucus in the nose, and when the growing number of viruses and bacteria inevitably reach your nose, it opens the door to the body for these bugs. It might sound like an environment built to the advantage of these microscopic invaders, but knowing how these germs interact with you and your surroundings can help ensure fewer sniffles this winter.