### Human:\nhow is the common cold spread?\n\n### Assistant: the common cold is spread either by direct contact with infected secretions from contaminated surfaces or by inhaling the airborne virus after individuals sneeze or cough. person-to-person transmission often occurs when an individual who has a cold blows or touches their nose and then touches someone or something else. a healthy individual who then makes direct contact with these secretions can subsequently become infected often after their contaminated hands make contact with their own eyes or nose. a cold virus can live on objects such as pens books telephones computer keyboards and coffee cups for several hours and can thus be acquired from contact with these objects.