i said no and then she gave me the argument that "you'll get a cold/pnemonia if you go out there without multiple layers on". i told her that's not true and explain they're caused by viruses. then the whole "mother knows all" charade and she angrily storms off.
There's research showing immune system markers dropping after exposure to cold temperatures, but there's not an overwhelming consensus over whether that causes more people to get sick during the winter. There's also some evidence that cold weather makes it harder to fight off viruses.
It's true that you gotta get exposed to viruses before you can get sick, but consider the fact that literally every surface in schools/households/etc is covered with viruses that can infect you. You're probably exposed to cold viruses pretty regularly, but you don't always get sick because your
innate immune system handles it before it becomes a problem. Decreasing your immune system (possibly through cold weather) might be a much more contributing factor than exposure, since you're probably already exposed to viruses anyway.
Honestly though, the main reason people get sick more during the winter is just because they're inside all day. More opportunities for transmission means more people get sick. But the jury's out over whether that's the
only cause.
