Does getting a flu shot make you sick? Can exercise help you get over your cold faster? Our quiz will help you sort fact from fiction.

Cold and flu myths CSIRO

It's that time of year when the cold and flu runs rampant. So what's fact and what's fiction when it comes to these everyday illnesses? Take our quiz to find out - click through all of your responses and then press 'submit' to see the answers


 

Being cold gives you a cold


 

Zinc, Echinacea and vitamin C help to relieve cold symptoms


 

Getting the flu shot will give you a mild flu afterwards


 

Hot whiskey (or hot toddy) is a natural remedy when you’re sick


 

Exercise helps you get over your cold faster


 

The cold and the flu are the same thing


 

Taking cold and flu medicine helps to relieve cold symptoms


 

Mum’s chicken soup will make you feel better when you have a cold


 

Flying on a plane increases your risk of catching a cold or flu


 

There is an effective medical treatment for the flu


 

Being vaccinated every year means we will create a resistant super flu


 

Man flu exists


27 comments

  1. Roxanne Herson

    5th August 2017 at 11:12 pm

    Wow.. ask most women Man Flu is alive and thriving..

  2. Mark W Allen

    4th August 2017 at 10:03 pm

    Sorry, but I found this quiz to be very poorly worded; too many unqualified closed questions!

  3. nobody

    4th August 2017 at 3:54 pm

    haha i don,t get the flu and i dont get the flu shots either

    1. nobody

      4th August 2017 at 3:58 pm

      dont get head aches tooth aches

  4. Jeanette Elphinstone

    4th August 2017 at 7:22 am

    People need to educate themselves and keep up with new discoveries and research. Articles like this may help

  5. Alicia

    3rd August 2017 at 10:05 pm

    I thought Relenza needed to be taken within a certain number or hours/days to be effective? This isn’t mentioned here. If its true, then it should be mentioned in the interests of full disclosure. And if I’m wrong, it might need to be debunked in the comments above. 🙂

    1. Ellen Singleton

      4th August 2017 at 3:52 pm

      Hey Alicia,

      Thanks for your comment! We’ve reached out to our scientists for some information.

      Relenza shortens the duration and severity of flu by a small amount in otherwise healthy adults. That’s because by the time you realise you have the flu the replication process is well under way so there’s not a lot Relenza can do to help. However, for the elderly, pregnant women, children, and immune-compromised people, shutting down flu even at this late stage can save them from it developing into a life-threatening disease. Also, if there is ever an outbreak of a deadly strain like “Spanish Flu” it’s worthwhile having Relenza around. You’ll still get sick but may not die. You can find more information about our Relenza flu drug here: https://www.csiro.au/en/Research/MF/Areas/Biomedical/Drug-discovery/relenza

      We’ve also updated the question in the quiz and add in more information for clarification. We hope that clears a few things up!

      Cheers,
      Ellen
      CSIRO Social Media

      1. Rosemary Lynch

        4th August 2017 at 6:17 pm

        Gee, Ellen, H1N1 (1918 “Spanish” flu) has been back several times, but not with the high population densities created by Army camps, malnutrition created by WW1. Then there were the specific people this particular flu targeted. Go for vaccination, the Govt has stockpiled Relenza.

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