What's the most super way to fight off the super cold? We review a selection of ...

Experts warn that the UK faces an uncertain winter, with Covid and flu circulating. 

After lockdowns and mask-wearing, which cut infection rates, we may also be more susceptible to cold viruses, with people complaining of ‘super-colds’. 

The outbreak is being blamed by some on the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), which typically causes a runny nose, cough and sore throat — and is usually a common cause of winter illness in the under-twos. 

So will over-the-counter cold and flu remedies help? Angela Epstein asked Professor Simon Lloyd, a consultant ear, nose and throat surgeon at Manchester Royal Infirmary, to assess them.

Kaloba Pelargonium Cough & Cold Relief Oral Drops

20ml, £6.99, kaloba.co.uk

Claim: A herbal ‘medicinal product’ which, the manufacturer claims, can ‘relieve the symptoms of upper respiratory tract infections such as common cold, sore throats and coughs’. Take at the first sign of a cold.

Suitable for children over six, the oral drops can be taken directly from a spoon or mixed with water.

Expert verdict: Pelargonium is a member of the geranium family and has a long-standing use in traditional medicine for treating colds and flu.

Anecdotally, some people have said they find relief from its use but there is very limited evidence that it is effective. It is safe to take for all ages and if you want to avoid taking other forms of medicine, then there is no harm in trying it.

3/10  Otrivine Extra Dual Relief

10ml, £7.99, boots.com

Claim: A nasal spray which, claims the maker, helps unblock your nose six times faster than decongestant pills. It contains xylometa- zoline hydrochloride, which ‘has a decongestant effect’, and ipratropium bromide, which ‘reduces nasal mucus secretion’.

To use, hold one nostril closed and insert spray into the other. Tilt head slightly forward and squirt — inhaling at the same time. Repeat on the other side.

Expert verdict: This has two active ingredients — ipratropium bromide, which relaxes the muscles that line the airways within the lung, therefore making it easier to breathe, and xylometazoline hydrochloride, a decongestant that shrinks the lining of the nose, also making breathing easier.

Both drugs have been shown to be effective in improving cold symptoms but taking decongestants for more than five days is not recommended because they can worsen swelling in the nose if taken for too long, potentially making symptoms worse in the long run. 

8/10  ColdZyme Mouth Spray 

20ml, £17.50, boots.com

Claim: This is said to work against the cold virus itself — rather than just treat symptoms.

Once sprayed in the throat, the manufacturer says it forms a protective barrier that traps the virus in the throat and stops it infecting cells; the body then gets rid of the virus naturally.

It also claims that ColdZyme can shorten cold duration if used at the first sign of symptoms. To use, spray into the throat — one dose every second hour up to six times daily during the time you are exposed to the cold virus or until symptoms decline.

Expert verdict: The main ingredients of ColdZyme include glycerol, a colourless and odourless thick liquid that traps viruses in the throat. It also contains trypsin, an enzyme that, it is also claimed, inhibits the virus’s ability to bond with and infect healthy cells.

But the evidence is mixed. Some studies show it may offer little protection — but a paper earlier this year in the European Journal of Sport Science suggested it could shorten cold duration by up to a third.

Additionally, it is only a treatment for the mouth and it does

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