Having a common cold can be a lonely business. Especially when the best encouragement we get is a throwaway ‘well at least you don’t have flu’. However, scientists at Imperial College London have discovered an uncommon attribute we did not know previously. Could common colds finally be good news, muses Reuters in their January 10, 2022 post?
Just a Small Study But Potentially Important
Understanding the coronavirus better can inform more effective vaccines in future. The study was small, but that’s how most things begin. The Imperial College researchers studied 52 unvaccinated people living with others with recent positive COVID tests.
1… Only half the study group went on to develop the infection themselves.
2… A third of those who did not, had high levels of common cold T-Cells.
Common colds and COVID-19 share common lineage as members of the Coronavirus family. The researchers wondered whether the discovery might provide a blueprint for a second generation universal vaccine.
More Good News Finally from Common Colds
First author of the study, Dr. Rhia Kundu explains COVID-19 exposure does not always lead to infection. This had remained an enigma until now. Except for tantalizing clues suggesting one coronavirus infection may provide protection from other types.
‘While this is an important discovery,’ she says ‘it is only one form of protection and we cannot rely on it alone. The best way to protect yourself against COVID-19 is to be fully vaccinated, and this includes getting your booster dose.’
Most importantly, the common cold T-Cells attacked internal virus proteins, as opposed to their external spike proteins. This could add a new dimension to our vaccines which are currently neutral to them. So it seems common colds may have some good news after all.
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Preview Image: Treatments for Common Colds
