On average, adults catch more than 150 colds throughout their lives. Even with similar symptoms, the cause could be different each time. Common colds are caused by at least 8 different families of virus, each of which can have its own subtypes. How can so many different viruses cause the same illness? And is a cure even possible? Explore the two main strategies we employ to fight viruses. [Directed by Anton Bogaty, narrated by George Zaidan, music by Nikola Radivojevic]. 

 TED-Ed: Why is it so hard to cure the common cold?

Why is it so hard to cure the common cold?

Rhinovirus, responsible for 30-50% of colds, evades a universal vaccine due to its 169+ subtypes, challenging medical science.

CRISPR's potential as an antiviral suggests future cold cures may lie in gene editing, a groundbreaking shift in medical science.

Despite myriad cold viruses, a single type, rhinovirus, sparks up to 50% of cases, revealing a targeted area for potential cures.