Winter is coming but that doesn’t mean you’re destined to get sick. While you are more likely to get sick in the winter, this correlation isn’t directly tied to the rain and cold. The temperature drop does have an impact, but it’s because cooler weather keeps us indoors.
"Respiratory infections are transferred more readily in the winter time for two reasons," Dr. William Schaffner, an infection disease expert at Vanderbilt University recently told Healthline. "The first is we spend more time in enclosed spaces, close to each other, so that we have more prolonged face-to-face contact."
The second reason has to do with humidity.
During the winter months, there’s a lot less humidity so when a virus enters the air it’s able to stay there longer, allowing anyone close to it to breathe it in.
The theory goes that if you get caught in the rain and stay in wet clothes in the cold you’re more like to get sick, but experts say this is a myth.
So how can you avoid getting sick this winter?
Here are a few tips from the Center for Disease Control:
Keep your hands clean. Regularly wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
Avoid touching your face. When your hands aren't clean be sure to avoid touching your face, eyes, nose, or mouth with unwashed hands.
Stay away from sick people. This one goes without saying, but you should avoid people who are coughing and sneezing.
Keep surfaces and doorknobs clean. At home or in the office it's best to make sure that surfaces and doorknobs are regularly disinfected.
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