From the New York Times:
Researchers in New York believe they have solved one of the great mysteries of the flu: Why does the infection spread primarily in the winter months?
The answer, they say, has to do with the virus itself. It is more stable and stays in the air longer when air is cold and dry, the exact conditions for much of the flu season.
“Influenza virus is more likely to be transmitted during winter on the way to the subway than in a warm room,” said Peter Palese, a flu researcher who is professor and chairman of the microbiology department at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and the lead author of the flu study.
This question has vexed me for years in my battles with the “Flu and Colds come from getting cold” school of amateur epidemiologists. I have been repeating the apparently incorrect explanation for years, namely that the viruses are worse in winter because people are crowded into confined spaces (like clubs or bars). Turns out I was wrong. Whilst crowding does make vectoring easier, if these researchers are right then the atmosphere of clubs is terrible for flu viruses (hot and humid).
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