By the way . . . Wet hair is the least of your worries
THE temperature is dropping as winter draws in. But does this mean anything for our health? If we sit in a draft, will we catch a chill? What if we leave the house with wet hair? Or get drenched when we are out and about?
We wouldn’t want to catch the dreaded ‘double pneumonia’ or a ‘cold in the kidneys’ now, would we? Well, don’t worry — your granny, mammy or whoever told you you would ‘catch your death’ was wrong.
A hat and scarf will keep you warm and going straight out after a shower might result in a bad hair day, but it categorically won’t make you ill. At this time of the year, colds are caught through catching simple viruses. The rhinovirus is the big player this season but, rest assured, it’s not going to pick on you just because you haven’t put on your thermals.
That said, its greater prevalence at this time of year does have something to do with the drop in temperature. When the temperature dips, we head indoors. Germs survive better inside where the air is dry and as a result of us all being cooped up in enclosed spaces come winter, they are much more likely to spread.
Handshakes, pecks on the cheek, evenings huddled in by the fire are perfect to fuel your fever. Viruses spread through coughs and sneezes, and can travel as much as 20 feet and stay suspended in the air for as long as ten minutes. So forget about wet hair, it’s the stuff that’s flying about that’s going to make you sick. The best way to avoid it is to wash your hands to help prevent picking up and spreading infections.
Double pneumonia does happen, but it’s rare and not wearing a hat is not going to cause it. A cold in the kidneys is an urban myth — there is no such thing. Again, what we will all get this year is the common cold due to these rhinoviruses flying about.
There is no vaccination and no cure when it comes to these infections, if you catch them then you have to ride the storm. Drying your hair might make you look better, but it’s the simple washing of hands that will keep you healthy.