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If you’re not already coughing and/or sniffling this winter, there’s a good chance the people around you are. Currently, several viruses and bacteria are circulating at the same time that can cause symptoms of colds, flu and respiratory disorders. You may have one of these culprits, but you may also have several among your members at the same time.
One of the most common viruses currently circulating is still Covid-19 which, although in retreat for some time, still causes a significant number of infections. In addition, the influenza virus, rhinovirus and the bacterium Mycoplasma pneumoniae. This emerges from data from the National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM). With the holidays behind us and people gathering in groups again, the spread of the virus has received an additional boost.
What makes the complaints even more serious is that after a few years of Covid and all the measures that resulted from it, the population is no longer used to anything. British virologist Chris Smith of the University of Cambridge talks about a collectively incurred “immunity debt”:
“Because during the Covid years, when we were periodically cut off from the outside world, we suffered less from ailments, this means that we did not experience these ailments as often and therefore did not strengthen our immunity.”
Another explanation for the lethargy that those affected feel is that in recent years they have simply forgotten what it feels like to simply have a runny cold.
Other countries in Europe are also currently affected by a confluence of viruses and bacteria. England is currently going through the same phase as the Netherlands and Spain is also experiencing a sharp increase in the number of cases of corona, flu and other respiratory infections. The Spanish government decided on Tuesday to make masks mandatory again in hospitals, pharmacies and other health institutions, six months after abolishing the previous mask requirement.
2024-01-09 19:25:41
#winter #flu #cold #Joop