Over winter many of us will unfortunately catch a cold or even the flu. By suppressing our immune system, the flu may play a part in increasing our risk of getting meningitis. Research has also suggested that co-infection with wintertime respiratory viruses (such as the common cold) can also increase our risk, by enabling the bacteria to invade the body via the back of our nose and throat.
What’s more, as the temperature drops the bacteria are able to spread more rapidly as people spend longer periods indoors in close proximity, particularly through coughing, sneezing, and kissing. This risk becomes even more pronounced when considering that many of us are likely to be infected with wintertime viruses.
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