According to health experts, many people have experienced a year of sickness, moving from one cold or flu to another. Although there is little data to back it up, many anecdotal reports seem to confirm this trend. The pandemic has significantly impacted routines and immune systems, contributing to the rise in summer illnesses such as Covid-19 and the seasonal flu.
One theory is that the Covid-19 summer wave may be responsible for some of the illnesses. Though detailed data is not collected as during the peak of the pandemic, the availability of vaccines has not managed to negate the symptoms of the virus. Moreover, the rise of Covid-19 cases in hospitals has been alarming and indicative of a significant surge in cases resulting from the FLiRT variants of the virus and the presence of football fans in pubs.
Many respiratory infections such as colds and flu are expected to occur more commonly during the winter months, when respiratory viruses have a higher chance of circulating. Due to the pandemic restrictions disrupting seasonal patterns and leading to colder indoor environments, illnesses that were commonly experienced during specific months are cropping up at odd times, such as in the summer.
While less advertised, conditions such as whooping cough have also experienced a resurgence. An external outbreak in 2024 caused a significant reduction in immunity, particularly in children and pregnant women, and a decline in vaccination rates. This has meant that more individuals are now vulnerable to preventable diseases, which are now becoming increasingly widespread.
Finally, our general health and immune system’s weakened state may be making us more susceptible to infections. The austerity measures, combined with pandemic-related stress, poor dietary and lifestyle choices, and Long Covid, have all provided fertile ground for infections to thrive. The more intense manifestations of these viruses affect vulnerable populations, such as children and the elderly, resulting in more chronic and long-term illnesses
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