Post-COVID: Why Is Everyone Suddenly Catching a Cold?

Have you noticed that everyone around you seems to be sick? No, not with COVID, thankfully, but with the common cold. Coughing, runny noses, colds. Perhaps you've been experiencing this yourself. Is it that now COVID is over, everyone has caught a different illness? Well, not quite.

Experts are trying to explain the recent wave of colds and sickness, and the reasons are quite simple.

Professor Nadav Davidovitch, an epidemiology expert, explained this week to ynet that there are two main reasons for the illnesses. Firstly, we are now in spring season, a time when various allergies are prevalent, causing many of those who appear "sick" to actually just be experiencing the effects of spring and their related allergies.

The second reason is directly related to COVID. But just before explaining how, let's consider a theory that surfaced early when masks became the norm. Many claimed that the use of masks and the adherence to lockdowns and social distancing would not only prevent COVID infection but also weaken the immune system due to less exposure to bacteria and germs, supposedly resulting in increased susceptibility to illnesses. Now that we've removed our masks, is everyone falling ill because of a weakened immune system?

The answer is no. We tend to think of the immune system like a muscle. If you don't use a muscle for a long time, it can deteriorate. However, this comparison does not hold true for the immune system. In reality, the immune system regulates itself. It increases or decreases its activity based on need. When there are more infectious agents around, the immune system ramps up its activity to protect us. When there are fewer, it dials down, but it does not deteriorate. In addition, we know that the immune system is not static; it "learns" from experience, which we call "immune memory." When it encounters a specific pathogen and learns to fight it, it remembers and protects the body from future encounters with the same pathogen. Theoretically, immune memory can fade, but it takes many years to do so, and even then, it does not completely disappear but only diminishes. This means that someone who contracted a certain illness long ago may catch it again, but in most cases, they won’t suffer severe symptoms.

So, the reason so many are sick now is not a weakened immune system. What is the real reason? According to Professor Davidovitch, it's simple: we've taken off our masks and stopped distancing from each other.

Reality showed that when lockdowns were in place and people adhered to mask-wearing and social distancing, not only COVID but other illnesses had a hard time spreading. Now that we've returned to normal life, the transmission of bacteria and viruses between people has resumed, bringing higher rates of illness.

Professor Davidovitch emphasized that hygiene, which became so important during the height of the COVID era, is always important. We need to learn from the advantages that in hindsight came because of COVID restrictions and continue to maintain them: don't send sick children to kindergarten or school, don't go to work sick, remember to wash hands regularly, and try to maintain social distance if feeling unwell. It might even be worthwhile to continue the habit of wearing masks, at least during winter, or when we ourselves are sick.

The knowledge we acquired during the COVID period can help us avoid other seasonal illnesses – let’s use it.