Research Suggests This 1 Annoying Illness Might Actually Help Protect You From COVID

It may also lessen the severity of the infection.

No one wants to catch the common cold, but it’s certainly better than a COVID-19 infection for more reasons than one.

With a cold, there’s no chance of developing long COVID, much less of a likelihood of severe illness and, according to recent research published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, the common cold may actually protect you from a COVID-19 infection.

The six-month-long study was conducted by experts across the country, but doctors from National Jewish Health in Colorado led the research.

For the study, researchers collected a total of 10,493 nasal swabs from 1,156 people in the United States, both children and adults. Nasal swabs were collected every two weeks and then tested for 21 respiratory pathogens, including for COVID-19 via a PCR test.

Researchers found that people who had a rhinovirus infection in the past 30 days (rhinovirus is the virus that most often causes the common cold) were 48% less likely to develop a COVID-19 infection.