Imagine the warmest season of the year starts, and all of a sudden, you begin to feel a painful, dry and scratchy sensation in your throat- that’s a sore throat coming up.

A sore throat in the summertime is one of the common symptoms of summer illnesses like a summer cold. Interestingly, the term summer cold seems like a perfect oxymoron. Summer is the season of heat and warmth, while cold is, well, cold. So, why are these two opposing words side by side? They are so because most people believe you can only catch a cold when exposed to cold conditions. Hence, a summer cold is a cold caught in the summertime when the weather isn’t `cold.’

Is Summer Cold A Common Cold?

Due to the unpopular belief that colds are only common in wintertime, there remains a question to be answered, is summer cold a common cold as well? Yes, it is a common cold. As a matter of fact, most people that have been affected by a summer cold thinking that they were hit harder than a winter cold going on for a longer time than a winter cold. However, you should know that this view isn’t backed by any science.

Symptoms Of A Summer Cold

• Sore throat
• A runny nose
• Headaches 
• Cough
• Muscle aches
• Feeling weak
• In rare cases, a fever

How to Prevent A Summer Cold?

A summer cold can easily be prevented by following the regular prevention measures for a common cold. These include:

1. Practicing good hand hygiene means regular washing of hands, especially after coming close with sick people or touching surfaces and items open for public use. Washing your hands with soap and water helps wash off this virus if perchance you’ve been exposed to it and also prevents you from spreading it to another person by touch. 
2. Avoid sharing utensils with other people. Some people can be sick and be asymptomatic. That is, they won’t show symptoms of the illness, but they have it and can spread it to others. Not sharing utensils with others reduces your risk of exposure. 
3. Another preventive measure is to clean and disinfect surfaces and items that many people have handled. You can’t avoid coming across people, except you’re quarantined. But washing and disinfecting items you share/use with others can minimize your risks of getting infected. 
4. Invest in immune-boosting foods and supplements so your body can fight off any virus on its own without treatment.