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Will going out in the cold give you a cold? Here is a reality check

Many viruses, including rhinovirus - the usual culprit in the common cold - and influenza, remain infectious longer and replicate faster in colder temperatures

Silhouette of children seen through a layer of dense fog on a cold, winter morning, in New Delhi, Sunday
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Silhouette of children seen through a layer of dense fog on a cold, winter morning, in New Delhi | Photo: PTI

Libby Richards | The Conversation
Many of us have heard: “Don’t go outside without a coat; you’ll catch a cold.”
That’s not exactly true. As with many things, the reality is more complicated. Here’s the distinction: Being cold isn’t why you get a cold. But it is true that cold weather makes it easier to get the cold or flu. It is still too early to tell how weather impacts the COVID-19 virus, but scientists are starting to think it behaves differently than cold and flu viruses.
As an associate professor of nursing with a background in public health, I’m asked about this all

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