Data show that head lice can survive under water for several hours but are unlikely to be spread by the water in a swimming pool. Head lice have been seen to hold tightly to human hair and not let go when submerged under water. Chlorine levels found in pool water do not kill head lice.

Head lice may be spread by sharing towels or other items that have been in contact with an infested person's hair, although such spread is uncommon. Children should be taught not to share towels, hair brushes, and similar items either at poolside or in the changing room.

Some facts to reassure you

Because there are so many viruses that cause the symptoms of the common cold, people may have multiple colds each year and dozens over a lifetime.

Children under six years get an average of six to eight colds per year (up to one per month, September through April). Symptoms last an average of 14 days. This means that a child could be ill with intermittent cold symptoms for nearly half of the days in this time period, without cause for concern.

Young children in daycare appear to suffer from more colds than children cared for at home. However, when day-care children enter primary school, they catch fewer colds, presumably because they are already immune to a larger number.

The only way to catch the flu is by being exposed to the influenza virus. Flu season and cold weather just happen together, but there is no direct connection. In the end, flu season is the same throughout the whole country: even if it’s frigid in Sinai, it’s still warm in Aswan. While the influenza virus is more prevalent during the winter months, cold weather does not cause the flu.

Colder weather might increase the risk of flu in an indirect way as we might come into closer contact with other people because we’re all stuck inside. The rise and fall of flu season each year has more to do with the natural cycle of the virus, although experts aren’t exactly sure how it works.

Antibiotics work well against bacteria, but they aren't effective for a viral infection like the flu.  However, some people develop a bacterial infection (pneumonia, bronchitis…etc.) as a complication of the flu.   

Some patients with flu want antibiotics just in case they might develop a complication. This attempt at prevention doesn’t work as unnecessary antibiotics might only increase the resistance of the complication.