DALLAS — Craig Hoffman’s 2-year-old son, Roky, came down with a cold a week before Thanksgiving after coming back from school. As a family, the Hoffmans have been pretty careful, yet Roky’s cold quickly spread to the whole family.
“One kid’s got a cough, next kid’s got a cough, and then mom and dad got a cough,” said Hoffman.
The Hoffmans’ experience is one of many this cold season. Dr. David Winter with Baylor Scott and White in Dallas said that he’s seen an increase in cases of the common cold this year.
“We were expecting to have a terrible cold season because last year was minimal,” Winter said. “Because last year everybody was masking and distancing and staying home. So we built up little natural immunity.”
Winter said that natural immunity occurs when you are exposed to a virus, as opposed to immunity which occurs through vaccinations.
He said that he’s seen an increase in the common cold at his clinic.
Winter said that people who exhibit cold symptoms may have something other than the cold virus. He said that people with just a cold are more likely to have sneezing and congestion. However, people with the flu are more likely to have fever, muscle aches, body aches, chills and sweats. Mild cases of COVID-19 could also present as cold symptoms.
“If you’ve been vaccinated for COVID and you get COVID, it’s a mild illness for the most part, and it resembles the cold,” Winter said. “I’ve seen several people that I thought probably had a cold virus, but we tested and they’ve got COVID-19. So if you have symptoms, I would suggest you stay home.”
According to a release from Parkland Health and Hospital System, it takes longer for COVID-19 symptoms to present than symptoms from the flu or the common cold. Also, those with COVID-19 will be contagious for longer while the flu and the common cold recovery period is usually between seven and 10 days.
