is the change is weather is making you sick.

Question

It's said that while there is no direct correlation between the temperature dropping and your common cold, the virus does spread better in the lower temperatures. This articles goes on to talk about the relationship between the colder weather and the common cold. While the colder weather doesn't directly give you the common cold, it does reduce vitamin D levels, affect immune response, and narrowing blood vessels. All of which effect the immune system making you more susceptible to catching a cold.

Answer 1

The claim in this article isn’t very bold. The general effects of cold weather on the body isn’t anything new. The author makes it very clear that the cold weather can’t cause a virus. The main point is the hit the immune system takes from cold weather and how general behavior of people during colder months can cause these viruses to run a little more rampant. One of the points is that the rhino-virus multiplies better when the nasal cavity is at a cooler temperature. In the 2015 study according to the records of the NLM, mice with nasal temperatures of 33-35 degrees had a less effective antiviral response than that of the mice with a normal temperature. Once again, this exact claim is supported by the research done by Northwestern University and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Hospital, since decreasing the temperature of the nasal passages caused the number of EVs available to fight the virus to decrease by more than 40%.

https://www.uclahealth.org/news/article/new-study-links-nose-temperature-and-immune-response

https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC4311828/

Answer 2

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGTsyYQq0xs&t=17s

This past week I have been asking myself "Why do I get sick around this time of year, EVERY YEAR?!?" It really comes down to one thing; (Timestamp 2:05) "The reason we get sick more in the winter is simply because we herd together indoors, the windows are shut, and we're more likely to breathe the same air as someone who already has a virus..." (source). I believe all the factors from the article you provided impact our immune systems, but I'm convinced that the main reason we all get sick around this time of year is because the deciduous trees go dormant causing oxygen levels drop and carbon dioxide levels to rise, in turn making it harder to breathe in general.

Comments

It is unsure what your response is here, do you agree or disagree? And if you are transitioning to a different claim, what is supporting it?

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I appreciate you trying to acknowledge other factors that make us sick in the winter. Do you have any evidence to back up your claim about the trees? I am not saying you are wrong, I would just like to see a reliable source to help back you up and make your argument more credible.

Answer 3

According to the article, a change towards colder weather may not directly attribute to a sickness occurring, but it may certainly be a part of it. The body is put in a vulnerable position with colder temperatures as there is a major decrease in the amount of vitamin D therefore weakening the immune system. A weaker immune system welcomes sickness and infections to the body. With that being said, this claim seems to be true.

Comments

Great analysis of the original article, but your fact check might be even stronger if you included a link to another source on the same subject to back up your discussion.