Absolutely floored by this heating

When it snowed last week, my excited son ran out to join his friends in a snow fight in his kindergarten - but forgot to put on his cap.

His cough drove me into a panic as my 4-year-old always takes weeks to shake off a cold, and we hate to use the antibiotics the doctors prescribe for him.

But after a hot-water gargle and a good night's sleep, he had made a magical recovery. It suddenly dawned on me that neither my husband nor I have fallen seriously ill this winter. Owing to the long dry spell, this winter has seen all major hospitals in Beijing overflowing with people suffering from respiratory problems.