Female Speaker: Hey, doc, can I really get a cold if I got outside with a wet head?
Dr. Charlotte Grayson: It sounds like you have been listening to your mother again. She probably warned you, don’t go outside with the wet head or you will catch your death of cold. Well, I hate to contradict your old mom, but it's just not true.
Her other warning that you can catch a old from going outside without your coat on, well, sorry mom, that one is not true either. Of course, if you do head out without enough layers on, you won’t necessarily catch a cold, but you will probably feel pretty chilly.
A cold is actually caused by a virus, and in order to catch one, you need to be exposed to it. Cold germs are spread into the air through droplets that are released when someone coughs or sneezes. You can also catch a cold if you touch a surface that’s been contaminated with cold germs and then touch your nose or mouth.
The best way to avoid a cold is to steer clear of anyone who has one. And this is important by washing your hands often. You can't spread the germs if they are washed down the drain. If you do catch a cold, there is one piece of mom’s advice that you should follow cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze. There is no point in passing it around any further. I think you can stump me, go to our website, www.everwell.com and send a question.
For Stump the Doc, I am Dr. Charlotte Grayson.
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