When to see your GP

If you or your child has a cold, there's usually no need to see your GP as it should clear within a week or two.

You only really need to contact your GP if:

• your symptoms persist for more than three weeks
• your symptoms get suddenly worse
• you have breathing difficulties
• you develop complications of a cold, such as chest pain or coughing up bloodstained mucus
It might also be a good idea to see your GP if you're concerned about your baby or an elderly person, or if you have a long-term illness such as a lung condition. You can also phone NHS 111 for advice.

How do colds spread? 

In general, a person becomes contagious from a few days before their symptoms begin until all of their symptoms have gone. This means most people will be infectious for around two weeks.
You can catch the virus from an infectious person by:
• touching an object or surface contaminated by infected droplets and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes
• touching the skin of someone who has the infected droplets on their skin and then touching your mouth, nose or eyes
• inhaling tiny droplets of fluid that contain the cold virus – these are launched into the air when an infected person coughs or sneezes
Colds spread most easily among groups of people in constant close contact, such as families and children in school or day care facilities. They're also more frequent during the winter, although it's not clear exactly why.
A number of different viruses can cause a cold, so it's possible to have several colds one after the other, as each one may be caused by a different virus.