The people that surround you may just determine how quickly you recover. Patients who report feeling greater empathy from their doctor seem to get over their illness more quickly, an effect that can be seen both in their own reports of the symptoms, and more objective measures of their immune activity. It’s not clear if the same is true of people closer to home, but in the absence of a MIRACLE CURE, a little compassion is not much to ask – and might just provide solace where the other remedies have failed.
There are plenty of other questions that could be explored with further research. When travelling on a crowded bus, for instance, is it better to have the windows open, to flush out all the germs, even if that means everyone gets a chill? Such questions are very difficult to study scientifically with any precision. But by far the best measure, says Allan, is to simply use your common sense – wash your hands regularly and don’t share drinks with people who are already infected. It’s not the panacea we may all be waiting for, but sometimes the simplest answer is also the most effective.