You should not drink alcohol three hours after taking cold medicine, and you should strictly abstain from alcohol during a cold. 1. The combination of acetaminophen and other ingredients in cold medicine with ethanol will increase the metabolic burden on the liver and increase the risk of liver damage. At the same time, both alcohol and drugs can cause irritation to the mucous membrane of the gastrointestinal tract, resulting in a higher probability of peptic ulcers or bleeding. 2. After a cold such as secondary bacterial infection, may take cephalosporin anti-inflammatory drugs, such drugs and alcohol, ethanol-containing food will occur “disulfiram-like reaction”, manifested as chest tightness, shortness of breath, laryngeal edema, cyanosis, dyspnea, increased heart rate, blood pressure drop, and even anaphylactic shock and other serious reactions. Therefore, we should strictly prohibit alcohol during colds and flu, prohibit alcohol during or 7 days after taking cephalosporins, and prohibit taking ethanol-containing food as well as topical use of ethanol, so as to avoid the occurrence of “disulfiram-like” reaction.