Recent Cold may Offer Temporary Shield Against COVID-19, Study Finds
A recent study from National jewish Health suggests a surprising link between the common cold and COVID-19: recent infection wiht rhinoviruses (the usual culprits behind colds) may provide temporary protection against SARS-CoV-2, the virus causing COVID-19. This discovery offers valuable insight into why children frequently enough experience milder COVID cases and could pave the way for new strategies to combat respiratory illnesses.
The research, published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases, analyzed data from over 4,100 individuals across 1,394 households tracked during the early stages of the pandemic (May 2020 – February 2021). Researchers discovered that those with recent rhinovirus infections, especially children, were significantly less likely to become infected with SARS-CoV-2 in the weeks following thier cold.
This protective effect is believed to stem from the body’s antiviral defenses.Rhinoviruses trigger a robust interferon response in the airways, essentially “priming” the immune system to more effectively fight off subsequent viral invaders. As explained by senior author Dr.Max Seibold,“Our findings suggest that the immune boost from a recent cold may give the body an early advantage in fighting SARS-CoV-2 before it has a chance to take hold.This may help explain why children, who tend to get more colds than adults, generally experience fewer and less severe COVID cases.”
The study utilized thousands of self-collected nasal swabs to test for both viruses and analyzed airway gene expression. Researchers found children already exhibit higher levels of interferon-related genes - the immune system’s first responders – compared to adults.While the phenomenon of ”heterologous viral interference” (where one virus impacts the response to another) isn’t new, this is the first prospective study demonstrating it’s potential impact on SARS-CoV-2 infection.
Lead author Dr. Camille Moore cautions against intentionally seeking out a cold, but emphasizes the importance of understanding these interactions: “Understanding how one virus can affect the body’s response to another could help us develop new prevention strategies, especially for vulnerable populations.”
This research builds upon previous findings from the same study, which showed children are six times less likely to develop symptomatic COVID-19, further highlighting the role of age-related immunity and prior viral exposure in protection.
Source: Moore, C. M., et al. (2025) The Common Cold Is Associated With Protection From SARS-CoV-2 Infections. The Journal of Infectious diseases.https://doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiaf374