What Causes a Cold and Its Symptoms
The common cold, as the name suggests, is one kind of everyday illnesses that affect billions of people around the world every year. The large number of cold cases can be attributed to the fact that over two hundred different types of viruses can cause the common cold. One example is the rhinovirus which causes in average 30%-40% of the cold cases around. Other types of virus that cause the common colds are the coronavirus and respiratory synctial virus to name a few.
The cold viruses can be transmitted in variety of ways. But before that, it would help to remember that it is during the first three days of infection that a person with colds is most contagious. Thus, it would be wise to take the necessary precautions (improving your immune system for instance) when you know that you have to deal with the person in order to avoid being infected as well.
One way that the common cold virus is transmitted is through the water droplets that the infected person brings out whenever he or she coughs or blows his or her nose. When you come in contact with these droplets, say a few of them landed on your skin while you are talking with the infected person, there is a high chance that you will get the virus.
Another way cold viruses are transferred is through the saliva. This happens when the spoons and forks used by the infected person is not properly cleaned, and is then used by another person. Thus, avoid sharing eating utensils and even drinking cups and straws with the sick person in order to not get the virus.
Physical contact with the sick person is also another reason why you get infected with the common cold. For example, when you the sick person coughs in his hands, it is most likely that the cold virus have already transferred to his hands. Thus, when you shake hands with him, the cold virus automatically transfers to your hands. Then infection starts when you rub your hand to your eyes, nose or even mouth, as these areas often serves as the entry point for the cold viruses.
Viruses do not only transfer by directly being in physical contact with the sick person. It can also be transferred when you touch something that the sick person also touched, since research has shown that the cold virus can survive in exposed air for some time. Thus, you can contact the virus when you use a keyboard that the sick person used, or held the doorknob that the sick person held.
These are the most common ways that a common cold is transferred from one person to another, although there maybe others which are not included here. Anyway, now that you know how the common cold virus is transferred, you should also know now the necessary steps and precautions that you need to take in order to avoid being infected. Remember, there is no medicine that can really treat the common cold, so prevention is still the best cure.
The cold viruses can be transmitted in variety of ways. But before that, it would help to remember that it is during the first three days of infection that a person with colds is most contagious. Thus, it would be wise to take the necessary precautions (improving your immune system for instance) when you know that you have to deal with the person in order to avoid being infected as well.
One way that the common cold virus is transmitted is through the water droplets that the infected person brings out whenever he or she coughs or blows his or her nose. When you come in contact with these droplets, say a few of them landed on your skin while you are talking with the infected person, there is a high chance that you will get the virus.
Another way cold viruses are transferred is through the saliva. This happens when the spoons and forks used by the infected person is not properly cleaned, and is then used by another person. Thus, avoid sharing eating utensils and even drinking cups and straws with the sick person in order to not get the virus.
Physical contact with the sick person is also another reason why you get infected with the common cold. For example, when you the sick person coughs in his hands, it is most likely that the cold virus have already transferred to his hands. Thus, when you shake hands with him, the cold virus automatically transfers to your hands. Then infection starts when you rub your hand to your eyes, nose or even mouth, as these areas often serves as the entry point for the cold viruses.
Viruses do not only transfer by directly being in physical contact with the sick person. It can also be transferred when you touch something that the sick person also touched, since research has shown that the cold virus can survive in exposed air for some time. Thus, you can contact the virus when you use a keyboard that the sick person used, or held the doorknob that the sick person held.
These are the most common ways that a common cold is transferred from one person to another, although there maybe others which are not included here. Anyway, now that you know how the common cold virus is transferred, you should also know now the necessary steps and precautions that you need to take in order to avoid being infected. Remember, there is no medicine that can really treat the common cold, so prevention is still the best cure.
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