We've all heard it from our moms or grandmothers, or even a kind neighbor or teacher: "Put your coat on! You'll catch a cold!"

But does cold weather, or a sudden drop in outside temperature, really make you catch a cold or other infectious diseases?

The answer is no, although some viruses, especially influenza, do thrive in cooler temperatures.

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"The fact that it's cold outside doesn't mean that someone's going to get a cold," Dr. Isaac Bogoch, a researcher at the University Health Network in Toronto and an infectious disease expert, told Global News. "The fact that it's cold outside means that the season is changing, and there are some infections which become more viable in the winter months."

Cases of the flu spike in winter, with February most often being the top month for infection, according to the Centers for Disease Control. While it can be caught year-round, flu season in the U.S. usually runs from about October to March.

Researchers say that's because the influenza virus remains more stable and in the air longer, and thus is more easily transmitted, in cooler temperatures and dry weather. That same weather can also exacerbate chronic respiratory conditions.

In general, it can seem like more people get ill when it's cold outside, but Bogoch theorized that could be because so many people are stuck inside together. Closer proximity to people equals a higher likelihood of germs being spread.

"We tend to huddle together more, and there's probably more opportunities for people to transmit infections from person to person," he said.

Experts say the best ways to protect yourself against getting sick are washing hands and getting the flu shot.

"The flu shot is useful for everyone in terms of reducing either the chance of getting influenza, and also, if you do get it, it should reduce the severity of it by giving some primed immunity to the virus itself," Dr. Michelle Murti, a public health physician with Public Health Ontario, told Global News.