Cold and Flu Topics

What are the Cold and Flu?

How Are They Caught?

Prevention

Flu Vaccine

When To See A Doctor

The influenza virus is spread by airborne transmission. When a person with the flu sneezes, coughs, or speaks they release tiny droplets from their nose and mouth. These droplets are filled with the flu virus. They can live long enough in the air to allow other people to inhale them. The virus invades the persons cells and begins to reproduce rapidly. Not all of these people will become sick. Only if the conditions are right, for example if they are stressed, tired, or their immune system is not working properly will they become ill with the flu. The Lung Association (2010)

Cold viruses are very contagious — it's easy to catch them from other people. When someone has a cold, there is a lot of the cold-causing virus in their nose and throat. If the person coughs or sneezes, they can spray the virus into the air and infect other people directly. If the person with the cold coughs or sneezes on objects, or on their hands, those things can carry the virus too. Cold viruses can live for many hours on objects like toys, door handles, telephones, pens, tissues and more. If a healthy person picks up an object covered with cold germs, then touches their nose, mouth or eyes, they can catch the virus.

Cold viruses are around all year long, but we seem to get more colds in the winter. This is because we spend more time indoors in the winter, so we're in closer proximity to other people and to their germs.

If you are tired, in poor physical condition, exposed to some air pollutants or have a chronic lung disease like asthma or COPD, you may be more susceptible to colds. The Lung Association (2010)

Cold and flu viruses have the potential to infect anyone. But there are groups who are more susceptible and who often have more severe symptoms. These groups are people over 65 years of age and/or those who have a chronic illness or are immuno-compromised, including those with leukemia, kidney disease, asthma, heart and lung problems. When these people get the cold or flu, there is a higher risk of it progressing into a more severe illness like pneumonia or sinusitis. Health care personnel who are constantly working with infected people are also at greater risk. The Lung Association (2010)