Runny nose, cough, sore throat and mild fatigue — the common cold is a familiar winter visitor that most people experience every year. Over time, countless myths have grown up around it, from the fear of walking barefoot on a cold floor to worrying about going outside with wet hair. Many also struggle to distinguish between a cold and the flu, two viral illnesses that sound similar but are very different.
Dr. Chen Colbourne, a family medicine specialist with Clalit in the Sharon‑Samaria district, and Dr. Kay Alkara, a family physician with Maccabi in the northern district, clarify the facts.
“A cold is not the flu,” Colbourne told Alexandra Lukash in the ynet Studio. “A cold is a collection of symptoms we all know: familiar sniffles, cough, mucus. The flu, on the other hand, is one of many viruses we encounter in winter, like rhinovirus and adenovirus. Many of these viruses are more stable in cold weather, which is why they are more common in winter; because we spend more time indoors in close quarters with others.”
Alkara adds that a cold is a relatively mild viral illness caused by many different viruses. “Typical symptoms are runny or blocked nose, sore throat, cough and mild fatigue. Sometimes there can be a fever, but it’s not required. With the flu, symptoms are more dramatic — high fever, muscle aches, extreme fatigue and headaches. If you wake up and feel you can’t get out of bed, that’s flu, not a cold. A cold usually passes on its own and isn’t dangerous, whereas the flu can be severe.”
Let’s bust some myths
One of the most deeply rooted myths is that cold weather itself causes illness — wet hair, walking barefoot on cold floors, or not dressing warmly enough. But is weather really the cause, or is it just something that feels intuitive? The immune system complicates the answer.
“Let’s start by saying that 15°C here is like a European summer, and the immune system is so complex that it’s hard to give a clear yes or no,” says Colbourne. “Our immune system does respond to temperature changes, especially the nasal immune system. The part that protects us in the nose changes in cold weather with extreme temperature swings. However, in principle, if you go outside with wet hair, most likely nothing will happen. For someone who is more sensitive to temperature changes, their immune barriers might be more penetrable, but you still need exposure to a virus. If someone goes outside and isn’t near anyone who can infect them, they won’t catch a cold.”
If cold itself doesn’t cause infection, what does? Exposure to viruses and an immune system not yet familiar with a new strain. “If someone gets wet in the rain, enters a space and is exposed to a virus strain they haven’t seen before, their immune system might not be ready,” explains Colbourne. “I, as a family doctor, don’t get sick most of the time — it doesn’t matter if I got wet outside because I’ve been exposed to many viruses and my immune system recognizes them. Each year existing viruses evolve and mutate, which is why we vaccinate annually for the flu.”
2 View gallery
For a cold: rest, drink plenty of water, take pain relievers and fever reducers
(Photo: Shutterstock)
Another common misconception is that antibiotics treat colds. “Antibiotics don’t help with a cold or the flu because both are viral,” says Alkara. “Not only won’t they help, they can be harmful.” She also dispels the idea that the absence of fever means someone isn’t contagious. “Many think that if there’s no fever, a person can’t infect others. That’s not true. Early in the illness, even without fever, it can be contagious. Usually after four to five days, the illness is no longer contagious.”
So what actually helps?
Since there’s no cure for the common cold, many turn to supplements, vitamins and home remedies. “People think vitamin C prevents colds, but it doesn’t,” Alkara says. “Vitamin D doesn’t prevent flu either, though it may ease symptoms and shorten illness. And chicken soup doesn’t help a cold — it’s just a home remedy.”
So what does reduce infection risk? “We know from COVID‑19 the importance of masks for preventing viral spread,” says Colbourne. “Masks are meaningful. I recommend older adults wear a mask in places like clinics. Avoid crowded spaces, wash hands and — especially — get vaccinated for the flu, which can be very serious.”
If you do catch a cold: “Drinking fluids is important,” Colbourne advises. “Stay hydrated. Saline nasal rinses can help. Avoid medications like Otrivin that can be addictive.” Alkara adds: “Just rest, drink plenty of water, take pain relievers and fever reducers — that’s essentially it. There’s no cure for a cold.”
Seek medical care if symptoms involve infants, the elderly, pregnant women or people with chronic illnesses, especially with prolonged high fever, shortness of breath or chest pain — in those cases, doctor visits are essential.
First published: 03:44, 01.21.26