People on TikTok are warning about how air conditioning on holiday could cause illness.
The phenomenon is so common that it’s gained a handful of nicknames: from the ’Ayia Napa Flu’ to the ’Air Con Cough’ to the ’Magaluf Flu’ – it seems that everyone and their gran has experienced coming down with flu-like symptoms on their holidays.
So, what causes it?
According to a 2004 study in the Journal of Epidemiology, there is some science to back up supposed ‘air con flu’. The researchers found that air conditioning can in fact cause health problems in some people.
Symptoms that cropped up again and again included mucous membrane irritation, breathing difficulties, irritated skin, headache and fatigue.
Dr Nathan Spence, a doctor and educator on TikTok, also shared a video talking about how there is a certain kind of pneumonia that can be caused by air conditioning units.
He explains that dirty air conditioning units in hotel rooms can cause a condition known as Legionnaires’ Disease, which causes “an atypical chest infection that requires antibiotics”.
According to the NHS, Legionnaires’ disease is a lung infection you can get from inhaling droplets of water from things like air conditioning or hot tubs.
While quite uncommon, it can be serious. Dr Spence warned people who don’t get better on their own to go to the GP.
Another TikTok creator, Ben Matthew Saunders, who lives in the popular holiday destination Mallorca, says that the problem with hotel air conditioning units is they rarely get cleaned properly, leading to a build-up of grime, mould and other nasties.
“They’ve probably not been serviced properly for the last 10 years,” says Saunders in a video that’s racked up 15,000 views. “So then you’ve got this mould blowing out while you’re lying there for eight hours with your mouth open.”
As well as dirt and grime, your dry throat feeling could simply be caused by sleeping with your mouth open and the air conditioning drying out the air in the room. Nothing a couple of piña coladas can’t fix!
To avoid dirty air cons, book with reputable hotels and Airbnbs who are well-reviewed. And if you’re feeling particularly anxious, you can always email to check when their AC systems were last cleaned.