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Articles on Common cold

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Brazilian scientist working on a vaccine at the Immunology laboratory of the Heart Institute (Incor) of the Faculty of Medicine of the University of Sao Paulo. Sebastiao Moreira/EPA

Coronavirus vaccine: reasons to be optimistic

We don’t have vaccines for the Sars, Mers or the common cold. But that doesn’t mean scientists won’t crack it this time.
One nostril or two? Hard blow or gentle? Some ways are more effective and less risky than others. from www.shutterstock.com

Health Check: what’s the right way to blow your nose?

If you have a blocked or runny nose, chances are you’ll reach for a tissue or hanky for a good blow. But is your technique up to scratch?
More people end up in hospital from cold than flu. from www.shutterstock.com.au

Health Check: what is the common cold and how do we get it?

The “common cold” is common, most of us will have at least one or two per year. Despite this, there’s a lack of good research looking into it, and ways to prevent and treat it.
People who have big weekends tend to take more sickies at work. from shutterstock.com

Could a weekend of binge-drinking worsen your cold?

There’s no doubt chronic alcohol abuse changes the body’s infection-defence system. But here’s what the research says on whether a binge-drinking weekend can make people more susceptible to illness.
The more we take antibiotics, the more likely we are to have superbugs down the line. Brandice Schnabel/Flickr

When should you take antibiotics?

Antibiotics can prevent serious harm and stop infections becoming fatal. But they won’t kill common cold and flu viruses, and careless overprescribing by doctors can do more harm than good.
People aren’t productive at work when they’re ill and they risk infecting others. William Brawley/Flickr

Health Check: I feel a bit sick, should I stay home or go to work?

You wake up and feel under the weather. If you’re vomiting or have a fever, the decision to stay at home is probably clear cut. But what if you generally feel unwell but are torn about missing work?
If your symptoms are above the neck, you’ll still be able to manage a lighter-than-normal workout. mimohe/Shutterstock

Health Check: can I exercise while getting over a bug?

As we move into winter, the cold mornings, dark evenings and rain tend to bring out the best excuses to miss a session at the gym or run around the park.
Cold and flu tablets won’t cure a cold. Flood G./Flickr

The low-down on ‘cold and flu’ tablets

Pharmacies have aisles full of cold and flu tablets. But which product is the best one for you? And will it really help you feel better?
In this photo a researcher from the virology institute at the Bonn Faculty of Medicine looks at cell cultures. Wolfgang Rattay/Reuters

Explainer: what exactly is coronavirus?

If you’ve never heard of coronaviruses before, you may know about some of the illnesses different types of they can cause, like SARS, Middle East Respiratory Syndrome and the common cold.
People know that antibiotics won’t help viruses. So why ask doctors for antibiotics? Subbotina Anna/Shuttstock

Have a cold? Don’t ask your doctor for antibiotics

Antibiotic resistance is a major threat to public health. Resistance makes it harder for physicians to treat infections and can increase the chance patients will die from an infection. What is more, the…
Influenza symptoms include high fevers and chills, as well as pains and aches in muscles and joints. Davide Taviani

Explainer: what is the flu?

When people say they have “the flu”, what they’re experiencing most of the time is the common cold, which is not caused by the influenza virus at all. But the term “flu season”, which Australia is in the…

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