The common cold might protect you from coronavirus – here's how

By Matthew James, Research Assistant, Wellcome-Wolfson Institute for Experimental Medicine, Queen's University Belfast

We often assume that viral infections are caused by individual virus types. But in reality, we’re exposed to many viruses on a day to day basis, and co-infection – where someone is simultaneously infected by two or more virus types – is quite common.

The cells lining our throat and lower airways are exposed to the environment around us, making them a prime target for co-infection by respiratory viruses. These range from common-cold-causing rhinoviruses to the more serious influenza viruses, which are often the cause of global pandemics.

One of the most frequent outcomes…

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