Respiratory illnesses dip amid Covid
Covid norms helped control spread of diseases, dual infections only seen in rare instances
Amid the dominant presence of the SARS-CoV-2, the Coronavirus that causes Covid-19, doctors are seeing fewer cases of influenza, swine flu and diseases caused by other coronaviruses.
Before the pandemic, the influenza-causing viruses were responsible for 30 per cent of respiratory tract infections. This has fallen to to less than 2 per cent.
Doctors say there are two reasons why this is happening.
First, experts say, infection sets in when the virus is able to replicate in the host. With the Covid-19 causing virus dominating in the host, other viruses have little scope.
“Other viruses are not able to attack the human body which has the SARSCoV-2.
This has been noted in the maximum number of cases,” said Dr Vijay Kumar C., senior pulmonologist at Apollo Hospitals. “There are, however, cases where people have different groups of viruses in their body —
SARS-CoV-2 and swine flu — and they require double treatment.”
Second, the scope for other viruses to attack is reduced, experts say, because of large sections of people are wearing masks, washing hands frequently and maintaining physical distance to ward off Covid-19. Besides, closure of educational institutes and reduce travel has also controlled the spread of other diseases. A senior government epidemiologist on condition of anonymity said that dual infections of Covid-19 and swine flu were noted in the winter. “These are seen in highly compromised individuals who have not followed safety protocols,” the doctor said. In this situation, doctors said, it is very important to take the vaccine against Covid-19. Despite 60.1 per cent of the population shown to have antibodies against Covid in a recent serosurvey, experts say that the challenged will be posed by the other 40 per cent of the population that does not have antibodies.
Experts predict that the third wave of Covid-19 will manifest itself anytime between September to January depending on the behaviour of the people in following the Covid-19 protocols.
WITH THE Covid-19 causing virus dominating the host, other viruses have little scope.