Strep A, RSV, Covid, Flu: Why respiratory infections have gripped the nation before Xmas

On top of the side-effects of COVID-19 restrictions, respiratory infections tend to be particularly challenging in winter for two reasons, Prof. Hunter explains.

He said: “One is that in winter, we’re just a bit more likely to be indoors in crowded environments than we are during the summer, during warmer months.”

“Some people have suggested that when it’s really cold out and we’re indoors in a warm environment, the air is quite dry — because the relative humidity is very low — and that dries the mucus in your nose, which protects against viruses.”

On top of this, he added, after a year one’s immunity to infection from many respiratory viruses is “well on the way to being gone” from the previous winter.

Prof. Hunter continued: “So, it sort of falls into this cycle where you’ve got a slightly greater risk of transmission during winter with the time that the immunity is waning from the previous year.”

READ MORE: Scarlet fever estimates face ‘significant rise’ as cases rise

Article source: https://www.express.co.uk/news/science/1713500/strep-a-rsv-covid-flu-respiratory-infections-surge-weeks-before-xmas