Even though it is one of the warmest summers on record, 35-year-old Lorraine Davies and her family have contracted every sickness known to man. Since the spring, it seems as though the entire family has been perpetually ill, she adds. Over the past few months, I have had at least four viruses. As a busy mother, I’ve just had to persevere. There have been times when I’ve put the children to bed and then immediately fell asleep due to exhaustion.”
Since the outbreak of the pandemic, this is not the first time that they have been struck by a summer virus outbreak. Last year, her youngest kid was hospitalized with a respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), a virus similar to the common cold that may cause severe sickness in infants. “This summer, we have all suffered from colds, coughs, stomach bugs, and Covid. We had never been to the doctor so frequently.”
After the Easter holiday, when her older children returned to school and her youngest kid returned to her childminder, the diseases began. Davies operates a freelance coaching business on the side, and the disruption has had a significant effect on her career.
In addition to preventing the family from participating in pastimes and socializing, the family’s recurrent illnesses have prevented them from engaging in recreational activities “I have loved ones who have had cancer treatment or who are immunocompromised. You don’t want to bring germs to folks who may be susceptible, so this is a continual concern.”
Davies is not alone in battling these obstacles. In the United Kingdom, GP offices and hospitals are experiencing an influx of patients with common winter illnesses, such as coughs, colds, croup, stomach bugs, and chickenpox. Dr. Hana Patel, a London-based general practitioner and mental health coach who works for the NHS and in private practice, notes that younger children are disproportionately affected.
“Because we were exposed to fewer pathogens during the lockdown, some children’s immune systems have not had the opportunity to develop,” she explains. “This is the first summer in which individuals are returning to their normal routines and interacting with one another. In the first year of nursery school, especially in the winter, young children tend to acquire a large number of bugs. Due to lockdowns, we are observing this phenomenon at a different time of year.”
Dr. Patel continues to observe an abundance of Covid patients, which can be difficult to differentiate from other respiratory viruses. According to her, new strains are “producing slightly different symptoms and people are getting it repeatedly.”
The founder of the online pharmacy home delivery service PillSorted, Zeinab Ardeshir, has observed an increase in the incidence and duration of colds. “I’m seeing far more acute prescriptions than usual for this time of year,” she says.
The majority of prescriptions are for steroid inhalers, which can help manage symptoms such as coughing and breathing difficulties, and antibiotics for individuals who develop a secondary infection. “Over the past few weeks, more than 20 families have reported headaches, sore throats, coughs, and fevers that are not clearing up as rapidly as a virus would normally resolve. They have negative Covid tests yet continue to be ill.”
George Icke, a 19-year-old Salford student, has had a summer cold for the past month. “It became incapacitating because everything was so taxing. I had difficulty working and performing basic day-to-day tasks; even cleaning became impossible.” When he lost his voice, he was forced to call in sick to his freelance job as a radio host, resulting in financial loss.
“The prevalence of illness has affected the firms where I’ve been employed. Numerous individuals are taking time off.” He is concerned that the situation will deteriorate when he returns to college and everyone contracts “freshers’ flu.” “It’s always terrible, but this time people will arrive ill.”
Dr. Maroof Harghandiwal, a functional medicine specialist and Covid expert at Zen Healthcare, asserts that human immune systems are at their peak when they are constantly exposed to stimuli. The majority of us went a whole year without being exposed to any common germs and viruses.
Now, when we face these pathogens, our immune system “may take a little longer,” according to him. “Consequently, infections are lingering longer. Anxiety and stress have also impacted people’s immune systems.
Suzanne Samara, 34, and her family have been plagued by “endless” pests for months. “I have been afflicted with everything, including severe colds. It seems like as soon as I get rid of something, I get another,” she explains. Despite being on maternity leave from her banking job and skipping her regular public transportation route, she has observed a significant increase in viral illnesses compared to summers past. She blames it in part on her lack of recovery time.
She states, “It’s been a truly exhausting time.” “When I am ill, I am still responsible for the children. Because of Covid, many plans and events were postponed, and now there are so many things going on that it feels like there’s never a moment to rest.
Samaka has also observed that she gets sick more frequently since contracting Covid in January, and she worries about what effect this initial infection had on her immune system. According to Harghandiwal, scientists are studying the possibility of this unproven notion. Initial research indicates that immune cell abnormalities may contribute to extended Covid, which is believed to afflict more than 2 million people in the United Kingdom.
“Even in mild cases of the disease, immune function alterations might occur. People with chronic fatigue syndrome used to get recurring infections. According to Harghandiwal, the same symptoms are now induced by Covid, which is significantly more prevalent.
Dr. Chris Ritchieson, a general practitioner from Cheshire, has also observed an upsurge in “winter” illnesses in northern England. These infections can cause healthy adults and older children to be extremely ill for a few days, but they typically resolve on their own. For infants, the elderly, and immunocompromised individuals, the hazards are greater.
There are minor precautions everyone may take to lessen the risk of getting and transmitting these diseases, but social interaction is essential for those isolated in lockdowns.
“Wearing masks on public transportation and in crowds significantly reduced the spread of respiratory diseases,” he says. In the meanwhile, hand-washing is essential for preventing norovirus [winter vomiting virus]. Some stomach bugs are resistant to hand sanitizer, but a thorough wash with soap and warm water effectively eliminates these microorganisms. Many individuals do not adequately wash their hands before eating or handling food.”
Increasingly lax attitudes regarding hygiene and common diseases are not solely the result of pandemic exhaustion; they have been evolving for decades. “Before widespread immunization, there were higher frequencies of more frightening diseases and fewer treatments, thus the population was probably more informed and treated public health more seriously.
However, a small but considerable number of children and susceptible individuals are being hospitalized with respiratory and vomiting viruses. They continue to be a major worry.”
Those who are ill may transfer serious diseases unwittingly. “Whooping cough and RSV, both of which may be extremely harmful to infants, have been on the rise for some time,” he explains.
“Because individuals aren’t seeking for them and they frequently begin with modest symptoms, they assume they have a cold and continue to mix. If persons with moderate sickness have the choice to work from home or take time off, it could help decrease the spread of illness and the risk for young and vulnerable individuals.
