the rhinovirus (or other cold virus) enters your body through your nose or mouth and is easily spread when you touch someone or touch common objects contaminated with a cold virus (the computer keyboard or mouse the telephone receiver a doorknob or eating utensils). if you aren't cautious about hand washing you can spread the common cold to family friends co-workers and people you've never met at a restaurant or the supermarket. of course if someone with a cold or flu sneezes or coughs around you the virus can spread that way too. while getting chilled or wet is not a cause of common colds there are factors that make you more susceptible to catching a cold virus. for example you are more likely to catch a common cold if you are excessively fatigued have emotional distress or have allergies with nose and throat symptoms.
what causes a common cold?