Recent medical research shows that cold and dry weather make the perfect conditions for a virus like the flu to flourish.
Winter is the coldest and driest time of the year in New Mexico, which contributes to the spread of viruses.
“Viruses seem to thrive in a dry environment, and this year has been extremely dry. These viruses live longer, so it means you are much more susceptible to getting an infection,” KOAT medical expert Dr. Barry Ramo said.
Viruses don’t live long outside of the body, but the drier the air is, the longer they can live on things like door handles or a computer keyboard.
“It may be one of the reasons we are seeing a much more aggressive flu season this year than we have in the past,” Ramo said.
Ramo said it’s not too late to get a flu shot.
“If it stays dry, there's a good chance it could stay on longer. So people can still get a flu shot now and get the benefits from it,” Ramo said.