And if you're feeling lucky because you don't have a cold right now, the odds are three out of four that you'll get one during the coming year. Colds are caused by many different viruses, and even if you develop immunity to one type of cold virus, more are lurking everywhere, waiting to attack. You probably don't need a book to tell you what a cold feels like. The symptoms usually last three to seven days. Colds are transmitted by the spread of mucus on the hands of someone who has a cold.
Colds can also travel from one person to another via coughs and sneezes.
You touch towels or money, someone else picks them up and thus catches your germs. Use a handkerchief or disposable tissues when you sneeze, cough, or blow your nose. Avoid touching other people and their belongings as much as possible. Much the same strategy helps to prevent catching a cold. Unfortunately, no pills or vaccination exists to fight the common cold.