Some claim the rise in winter infections has been caused by the reduction of seasonal bugs during lockdowns. But experts are sceptical about these oversimplified explanations
he deaths of at least 74 people, including 19 children, from the invasive bacterial infection group A streptococcus, or, are the most extreme consequences of a wave of winter infections that have seemingly left most of the country coughing and sneezing. The parlous state of the nation’s health has prompted suggestions that we are now paying an “immunity debt” incurred by the reduction of common infections during thelockdowns of 2020 and 2021.
, which produces cold-like symptoms. Bacterial infections follow a similar seasonality, according to Michael Levin, professor of paediatrics and international child health at Imperial because they tend to take opportunistic advantage of an immune system weakened by a virus. RSV in infants and young children, for example, sometimes leads to bronchiolitis, an infection of the respiratory tract that can be serious.
Our immune systems need exposure to pathogens to maintain a good level of resistance. Many common infections such as colds are caused by endemic viruses and bacteria that people often carry asymptomatically because their immune systems keep the pathogen in check. For example, many people carry the meningococcal bacteria that cause meningitis, but only about one in 50,000 were, before vaccines, at risk of getting ill from them.
“Scarlet fever rates plummeted during 2020-2021. Therefore, school-age children may not have built up immunity to strep A, so we now have a much larger cohort of non-immune children.” A study last June reported that, because of reduced transmission of common respiratory viruses during the pandemic,But whether there is a generalised immunity debt is less clear. How long post-infection immunity lasts varies from one virus to another.
That position makes little sense. There is compelling evidence that lockdowns and social distancing saved lives, especially while vaccines were still not available. A day or two in bed with a bad cold seems a small price to pay for that. A small minority of researchers have, however, questioned whether lockdowns really made much difference to the spread of Covid.
Philippines Latest News, Philippines Headlines
Similar News:You can also read news stories similar to this one that we have collected from other news sources.
Judge lets writer's rape claim proceed against Donald TrumpA federal judge ruled a columnist can proceed with the lawsuits alleging she was raped by Donald Trump in a department store a quarter century ago, upholding a temporary New York state law letting adult victims of sexual abuse sue their abusers. 9News
Read more »
Judge lets writer's rape claim proceed against Donald TrumpA federal judge ruled a columnist can proceed with the lawsuits alleging she was raped by Donald Trump in a department store a quarter century ago, upholding a temporary New York state law letting adult victims of sexual abuse sue their abusers. 9News
Read more »
BBC criticised for letting cardiologist ‘hijack’ interview with false Covid jab claimAseem Malhotra’s ‘misguided’ views linking some Covid vaccines to excess heart disease deaths should not have aired, say experts
Read more »
Russian forces claim they've taken Soledar after weeks of fierce fightingRussia claimed that its forces captured a fiercely contested salt mining town, in what would mark a rare victory for the Kremlin but Ukrainian authorities said the fight for Soledar continues.
Read more »
Russian forces claim they've taken Soledar after weeks of fierce fightingRussia claimed that its forces captured a fiercely contested salt mining town, in what would mark a rare victory for the Kremlin but Ukrainian authorities said the fight for Soledar continues.
Read more »
Major airline catches out Prince Harry over bizarre lie in memoirPrince Harry has been caught out after a New Zealand airline picked up a false claim written in his bombshell memoir Spare.
Read more »