Debunking 5 Common Cold and Flu Myths.

BY DR. SONEZ BARNARD
Jun 19
5 min read

When it comes to staving off colds, we have gotten very creative as human beings. We have come up with various measures, from balms rubbed on the feet to avoiding the outdoors, in an attempt to keep colds and flu at arm’s length.

Is there any truth in some of the old wives tales that have been passed from generation-to-generation? Or are we doomed to fall victim to the flu this time every year, with little control over the situation? Here is your guide to protecting yourself this winter, and understanding why some long standing myths have persisted for so many years.

Myth 1: You get sick when going outside with wet hair.

Is there any truth to what your mother told you about walking around outside with your hair wet? Having wet hair or going outside will not cause a cold. Colds are caused by viruses.

It might seem to you like that chilly evening stroll after your shower was the culprit. But rest assured, wet hair and cold conditions won't cause an infection. Studies have found that cold temperatures (colder than the ones we generally have in sunny South Africa), and cold air might weaken the immune system of the nasal passages. This, in theory, will increase your likelihood of getting sick if you’ve been exposed to the virus already.

Without the exposure to the virus, you are perfectly safe outdoors after washing your hair. In fact, huddling indoors in confined space with other humans, poses a much higher transmission risk.

Myth 2: Colds are spread through air conditioning

We’ve established that your cold is caused by a virus. So is it possible for this virus to make its way from “Sniffling Susan” in the office next door, all the way to you through the air conditioning system?

The spread of the cold-causing viruses is through droplets and direct contact with contaminated surfaces. To a small extent, there is some airborne droplet spread.

But if the Covid pandemic taught us anything, it is that we don’t understand airborne transmission quite as well as we thought we did. Viruses that cause colds and flu don’t stay infectious in airborne form for very long. And the ones that do, are more likely to spread through contaminated surfaces.

You are therefore very unlikely to contract a cold through the air conditioning. However, this is a virus that thrives in low-humidity and cold environments, which is exactly what air conditioners provide. The dry air caused by the AC unit will cause the virus to survive on surfaces for longer.

Moreover, mucous membranes in your nasal passages, which are ordinarily moist spaces, are also dried out by the low-humidity environment created by air conditioning. As your first line of defense against a cold is compromised by the air conditioning, your immune system is now compromised.

And while the odds of contracting a cold while in an immunocompromised state is higher,and air conditioners recirculate indoor air breathed by everyone in the room, they don’t generally spread viruses over longer distances unless they are poorly maintained.

If you are worried about contracting the bug that seems to be doing the rounds at the office this year, you should be a lot more concerned with contaminated surfaces. And for this, there is a simple preventative measure: regular hand washing.

Myth 3: Loading up on vitamin C will prevent a cold

A famous study from the 1970’s started the widespread belief that high doses of vitamin C prevent colds. As old as this study is, this belief still persists today. However, in a more recent study, it was found that a regular vitamin C supplementation regime doesn't necessarily ward off colds, and that high dosages of the vitamin were not effective either.

It did however show that vitamin C is able to reduce the severity and duration of your symptoms, once you have contracted the cold already.

Myth 4: “Sweat out” a cold with exercise or warm clothing

Many of us remember childhood sick days: being bundled in layers and handed a steaming hot remedy, all in an effort to “sweat out” the illness. Some people even try to “sweat out” a cold by heading to the gym, hoping that a workout will help shake off those lingering symptoms.

But is it really possible to sweat a virus from your system like you would smoke bees from your yard? And is this an effective way to recover from a cold? Viruses are not eliminated from the body via sweat. In fact, in some cases this tactic may even delay your recovery instead of providing the temporary relief it is known to show.

In order to clear a virus, your body needs time to mount an immune response. This takes 7-14 days, and you are better off supporting this process than trying to accelerate it by potentially harmful methods. These supportive self-care measures include enough rest to ensure that your body's resources (like energy) are all directed at fighting the infection.

Myth 5: A cold or the flu needs antibiotics

This is something that most Doctors get quite passionate about, due to the recent looming threat of a future filled with antibiotic resistance. This is however still a medication that many patients insist on during their doctor’s visit, mistakenly believing all infections to have a bacterial origin.

To put the confusion to rest once and for all: Antibiotic medicines only kill bacteria. Not viruses. Antibiotics work by either killing bacteria, or preventing its growth by targeting some of their structure, like cell walls. Viruses however, replicate by using your own cells. So since they don’t possess the targets that these medications work on, antibiotics are ineffective against viruses.

Studies have now shown that up to half of all antibiotics prescribed annually to be inappropriate and unnecessary. And while this seems harmless, an incorrectly prescribed antibiotic has an implication not only for the individual, but also carries a long term global impact. Unnecessarily prescribed antibiotics could in fact make you, as an individual, more prone to contract a secondary infection. This risk is due to the disruptive effect the antibiotic has on your gut flora, effectively increasing your susceptibility to other organisms.

The inappropriate use of antibiotics also pose a global risk, as this allows bacteria to evolve to develop a resistance against our drugs. Resistant bugs are not only responsible for infections that are harder to treat, but also account for prolonged hospital stays, which exposes you to more serious infections. Next time you have cold symptoms, enquiry about the nature of the infection from your doctor, and trust when they say that an antibiotic will not be beneficial to you.

When you’ve contracted a cold, remember that your immune system will need to produce the correct antibodies to fight this infection. Allow yourself the week or two that this will take to happen. In the meanwhile, get plenty of rest, drink enough fluids, and eat healthy whole foods. Take care of yourself this winter.