For about 3 years we have been inundated with information about the use of masks to fend off Covid and other illnesses. Officials have utilized the trifecta of facts, fear, and force via public service announcements, warnings of impending illness, and the creation of rules that compelled us to adopt this new accessory to our everyday lives. As much as I don’t miss the daily scramble to remember a mask on my way out the door, there may be another reason to consider masking during the winter. We all know that cold and flu season corresponds with the colder temps outside, but according to a new study long held beliefs of why were incomplete. In general, it always made sense that these illnesses would spike in winter as people tended to congregate more indoors, windows were kept closed, and commuters were more likely to utilize public transportation instead of braving the elements to get where they were going. More people in close proximity with reduced ventilation means more opportunity to spread things like the common cold and flu – appears to be pretty sound math. However, a new study published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology has shed new light on what may be significantly aiding the spread of these ailments when temps take a dip.
According to the research, reducing the air temperature inside our noses significantly compromises our bodies immune response to germs encountered in our nasal passage, which is the most common way to transmit viruses. With a reduction in air temperature of just 9 degrees Fahrenheit, we lose nearly 50% of the virus killing bacteria in our nostrils. That is a staggering handicap considering how cold it gets in New England for long stretches. From the study, researchers found that when the front portion of the nose detects incoming germs, it begins to create billions of cells called extracellular vesicles, or EVs. These cells are described extra “sticky” and their job is to latch onto the invading germs and carry them out through nasal mucus as you sneeze or blow your nose, keeping them from getting too far into your nostril and multiplying. Cells within our bodies contain micro RNA which can kill viruses, but the EVs in our noses contain 13 times the number of micro RNA sequences than normal cells. Who new there was so much protection stuffed up in there? But when cold weather hits, such as the 40F test environment studied, a drop of air temp by 9F in the front of our noses can wipe out much of that projection to the tune of 42% fewer EVs produced, and a 70% drop in “stickiness”. Sounds like a pretty good argument to move south for the winter, or keep our noses warm.
Now, with the exception of testing the air temp, these findings were done in a lab testing immune response on human tissues, not inside someone’s actual nose. But the results are fascinating and give us a little more insight into how germs may infect us during winter months. How long before we see the first nose warmer with integrated Bluetooth earbuds on Shark Tank?