The common cold is a viral infection of the nose and upper airways that can be caused by any number of viruses. And, true to its name, they are common - adults can expect to experience two to four colds a year, children will catch between five and six, while nursery-aged children might experience up to 12 bouts year.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original article at https://patient.info/news-and-features/difference-between-cold-and-flu