This time every year those temperatures start to swing wildly. This week was no exception. We already logged our first hard freeze earlier this week, only to climb back into potentially record-setting 80s by week’s end. So, the question comes up: “Does the weather make us sick?”
As a meteorologist and a parent, I understand why the timing looks suspicious. A freeze hits, kids start sniffing and families brace for the worst. But dramatic shifts in temperature don’t cause illness themselves – viruses do.
“You can’t catch a cold just from being out in the cold,” said Laura Kerr PA-C, Tulsa area physician assistant. “Colds are caused by viruses, not temperature. But cold weather can make you more vulnerable by drying out your nasal passages and keeping people indoors where viruses spread more easily.”
Kerr said the nasal passages are one of our first defenses against invaders, and when it’s dry viruses have a much easier time getting in.
Then there’s the human factor. Once the temperature drops, we retreat indoors. Kids spend more time in classrooms with shut windows, families stay inside and the shared air environment becomes a breeding ground.
Kerr also points out that our immune system may not operate quite as well in cooler, drier conditions, which gives any virus already circulating a little edge.
So, bundle up for the cold. But more importantly, take care of yourself because while the cold didn’t cause the illness, it did make it easier for a virus to move in.
Kirsten Lang is a Tulsa-based meteorologist and a contributor to the Tulsa Flyer.
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