If you’ve been feeling sick with symptoms that align with COVID-19-- but keep testing negative—chances are you’ve caught a cold or flu. Communities are experiencing a resurgence of some common viruses that have, until recently, been kept at bay.
Masking and social distancing didn’t just ward off COVID. These prevention tactics have affected other viruses too. When masks came off and people started congregating again, common viruses were waiting in the wings for a chance to spread.
Lane County’s Senior Public Health Officer Dr. Patrick Luedtke explained how our bodies aren’t ready.
“The long-term immunity against most of the cold viruses is non-existent. So common cold coronaviruses, you get infected with them and then a year, year and a half later, you get infected with the same darn virus again,” he said. “Your immunity wanes over time.”
Because the last few years have seen very little ongoing common respiratory infections, Luedtke predicted we’re at risk for some nasty cold and flu seasons ahead.