We have leaned much about viruses during the pandemic, but new knowledge keeps popping up. Take a report that University of Glasgow, UK posted on March 23, 2021. Scientists there say common colds could drive COVID away for a short while. Well that is something to celebrate if we are feeling low with a runny nose.
A Window Into the World of Viruses
Viruses fight hard to hold on to a new host, research leader Prof Pablo Murcia told BBC News. In fact, some viruses fight strongly to keep others at bay. Imagine your nose, throat and lungs being like doors to your body’s house. Once the rhinovirus causing common colds is inside, it slams the door shut against other viruses it does not like.
Prof Pablo Murcia and his team ran an experiment to prove their point. First, they created a replica of the lining of our airways, using the same types of cells. Then they infected the lining with the Sars-CoV-2 virus causing COVID-19, and the rhinovirus causing common colds and waited to see what happened.
The Common Cold Virus Drove the COVID Away
If we infected the artificial airway with both viruses at the time, only the rhinovirus causing common colds took hold, the Prof explains. If the rhinovirus had a one-day head start, so much the better. And even if we gave the Sars-CoV-2 the advantage, the rhinovirus still booted it out.
‘This is absolutely exciting,’ he proclaims. ‘Because, if you have a high prevalence of rhinovirus, it could stop new Sars-CoV-2 infections.’ However, once the common cold was over, we would be back to square one.
Now We Understand That, What Happens Next?
Prof Pablo Murcia does not believe the effect is powerful enough to make a large impact on its own. However, he does believe it could be a useful ally for vaccinations, twinned with current hygiene measures. And at least a cold we can’t shake off may not be so hard to bear any longer.
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