You can’t catch a cold from kissing - but don’t hold hands!

Revealed: Fact and fiction about protecting yourself from bugs and viruses

• Diseases spread through touching another person or an object with germs
• Children are likely to carry bugs because of developing immune system
• Getting plenty of sleep is a precaution you can take against cold infections
• Feeling more positive was linked to a greater ability to fight off a cold

Diseases can spread through touching another person or an object contaminated with germs from someone else, or through the air, for example, when someone sneezes and the droplets enter your nose or mouth or get on to your hands.

A disease’s contagiousness is measured by its basic reproduction number. ‘This is the number of people without immunity who would likely be infected by one person with the virus,’ says Paul Griffiths, professor of virology at University College London. ‘One of the worst viruses for that is measles, with a basic reproduction number of 17. It’s airborne and really contagious. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2965656/Viruses-t-catch-cold-kissing-don-t-hold-hands.html