Is it true that you’re likely to get a cold if you go out in winter with wet hair, or is it an old wives’ tale?
Tom Stevens, by email

It’s a myth that being cold or wet (or in a draught) causes a cold. The only thing that will give you a cold is getting one of the 200 or more varieties of cold virus. However, cold weather can lower a person’s resistance to the virus, as can smoking, eating an unhealthy diet and being stressed or tired. You can catch a cold by touching an object that has the cold virus on it and then putting your hand close to your nose or eyes, which is one of the many good reasons to wash your hands regularly.