It’s rhinovirus season. Can catching the common cold protect against COVID-19?
Global News
The common cold (rhinovirus), usually dismissed as an annoyance, might just hold the key to blocking other viruses, like COVID-19, experts say.
Sneezing, tissue-grabbing and coughing — the unmistakable signs that rhinovirus season is in full swing. But while the common cold might be a nuisance, it also may have the ability to act as a barrier against other viruses, including COVID-19, experts say.
The rhinovirus, which causes the common cold, typically infects people’s upper respiratory tract — the nose, nasal passages and throat. Common cold infections are so widespread that very few people escape infection each year. Adults typically get between two and five colds annually, according to the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS).
Although the rhinovirus can happen any time of the year, it tends to kick into high gear starting in September, explained Dr. Gerald Evans, an infectious disease specialist at Queen’s University in Kingston, Ont.
“September is what we call rhinovirus season, it’s when all kids go back to school or daycares. It’s not a particularly dangerous virus for most people, but as soon as kids return to school you see a big upswing in rhinovirus infections,” he said.
Even though rhinoviruses are nuisances, Evans said they may help prevent the virus responsible for COVID-19 from infecting you.
“That’s something called viral interference. So a nice big rise in rhinovirus infections might be just what the doctor ordered to reduce the number of COVID cases that are sort of floating around,” he said.
There are more than 200 viruses that can cause colds, but the main family of viruses is the rhinoviruses, according to the CCOHS.
These viruses can live on surfaces for hours after contamination and spread mainly from person to person, Evans said.
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