A new study has found that catching a cold recently might help protect people, especially children, from getting COVID-19.
This research was done by scientists at National Jewish Health and was published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.
The study looked at over 4,100 people from nearly 1,400 households across the United States.
It ran from May 2020 to February 2021 and was part of a project called HEROS (Human Epidemiology and Response to SARS-CoV-2). The goal was to learn more about how COVID-19 spreads in families and how other viruses may affect this.
The researchers discovered that people who recently had a cold caused by a rhinovirus — the most common cause of colds — were less likely to get infected with the virus that causes COVID-19 (called SARS-CoV-2). This was especially true for children.
The reason may lie in the immune system. When someone catches a cold, their body creates a strong defense called an “interferon response.” Interferons are proteins that help the body fight viruses. This reaction can temporarily prepare the immune system to defend against other viruses too — like the one that causes COVID-19.
Dr. Max Seibold, the senior author of the study, explained that this early immune boost could give the body a head start in fighting off COVID-19. He also noted that children usually catch more colds than adults, which might explain why they tend to get milder COVID-19 symptoms.
The researchers used thousands of nasal swabs collected by study participants. These samples were tested for both the coronavirus and other viruses like rhinovirus. They also studied how gene activity in the airways changed after a recent cold.
They found that children had higher levels of interferon-related genes even before getting sick, compared to adults. These genes help start the immune system’s response to viruses.
This idea — that one virus can affect how the body reacts to another — is known as “viral interference.” Scientists have seen it before with other viruses, but this is the first study to show that it might happen with COVID-19 too.
Dr. Camille Moore, the lead author, warned that people shouldn’t try to catch colds on purpose. But learning how colds can help the body fight off other viruses might lead to new ways to prevent serious illnesses, especially in people at higher risk.
The study also supports earlier findings that children are much less likely than adults to show symptoms when they catch COVID-19. The new research shows that both stronger immune systems and recent exposure to other viruses may explain this.
This study was led by National Jewish Health and included researchers from 12 cities in the U.S.
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