British researchers may be close to a cure for the common cold. Scientists have worked for decades on a medicine to end colds. The biggest problem was finding a drug that could fight hundreds of types of cold viruses. The viruses change very quickly and can fight against new drugs. Until now, there has been no cure for colds, so we all have to suffer every year. Scientists have developed a molecule that could make colds a thing of the past. They found that the molecule blocked the viruses that cause colds. It stopped the viruses from working in the body.
Most of us catch a cold a few times a year. The usual treatment for a cold is to take medicine for the different symptoms. We take different things for a sore throat, a runny nose or a fever. Different viruses cause different symptoms. The researchers say the new molecule could stop all symptoms. Researcher Dr Ed Tate said it could help to end suffering for millions of people. Dr Tate believes it could also help people with more serious problems. He said: "The common cold is an inconvenience for most of us, but it can cause serious complications in people with conditions like asthma."