The common cold is something that we all know too well, and it is considered to be a costly illness. Even though having a cold usually isn’t terminal, it has been determined that the common cold is responsible for $25 billion in lost productivity, and that’s just one of the many common cold facts! However, this loss is probably since up to a billion colds occur within the United States each year. There’s no doubt about it. The cold is a common ailment that most of us would prefer to avoid altogether.
While the cold is a very common ailment, not too many people know the facts behind this illness. To help you better understand the common cold and help keep this pesky virus at bay, check out these common cold facts.
1. The microbes that cause the common cold can live for up to two days outside the body.
2. If a person has a cold, you should remain at least 6 feet away from them. This is because virus-containing droplets can become airborne when a person talks, sneezes or coughs.
3. Taking vitamin C will not cure a cold, but it may help decrease the duration by a day or two.
4. Cold-causing viruses are found throughout the world, even in the remote areas of the Amazon!
5. Within the course of a day, a single cold virus can have up to 16 million offspring.
6. Most children have six to ten colds a year.
7. Most adults have two to four colds a year.
8. Colds are typically spread by touching an infected surface, or by inhaling droplets that are harboring the virus.
9. A sneeze can spray up to 100,000 germs into the air.
10. You can infect others with the cold, even if your own symptoms have not yet developed.
11. The best way to prevent colds is to regularly wash your hands with soap and water for 20 seconds.
12. Droplets from a person’s sneeze can travel up to 100 miles per hour.
13. The cold virus can survive for three hours outside the human body. This means it can live on any touchable surface.
14. There are more than 200 viruses responsible for the common cold.
15. The most common virus is the human rhinoviruses (HRV), which is responsible for up to 40% of all colds.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cold viruses can survive outside the human body for varying periods. Some strains can live on surfaces or objects for up to two days, while others can survive for about three hours. This ability to persist on surfaces makes it easier for the virus to spread through indirect contact.
To reduce the risk of catching a cold, it is recommended to stay at least 6 feet away from an infected person. This is because virus-containing droplets can become airborne when the person talks, sneezes, or coughs and can travel that distance or more.
Vitamin C does not cure the common cold; however, taking vitamin C may help to slightly reduce the duration of a cold by a day or two. It may also support the immune system, but it does not prevent the cold virus from infecting a person.
There are more than 200 different viruses responsible for causing the common cold. Among these, the most common virus is the human rhinoviruses (HRV), which accounts for up to 40% of all cold cases worldwide.
Yes, an infected person can spread the cold virus to others even before they start showing any symptoms. This means that the virus can be contagious in the early incubation period when the infected individual still feels well.
The common cold primarily spreads through touching infected surfaces or by inhaling virus-containing droplets from sneezes, coughs, or talking. Since the virus can survive on surfaces for hours or days, contact transmission is a common cause of infection.
Most children experience between six to ten colds annually, while most adults typically have two to four colds each year. This frequency reflects differences in immune system exposure and development between children and adults.
The best method to prevent catching a cold is to regularly wash your hands thoroughly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Good hand hygiene reduces the chance of transferring viruses from contaminated surfaces to your face, where infection can occur.