Would the lockdown permanently reduce/eliminate other viral infections?

[Goldengroveunleaving]

I don’t know much about epidemiology (sounds like that old song ...) but would be interested to hear from anyone who does. Hope this question hasn’t already been discussed at length; I haven’t seen it.

Does the fact that we (and many other countries) have been in lockdown for so long mean that other, much less serious and previously common viral infections like Norovirus, seasonal flu or even the common cold might become much rarer or even die out? COVID19 is known to be exceptionally infectious so presumably these are less so. Or would they just spread again as soon as people are mixing again, or at the start of the next peak season, possibly in a mutated form? (I realise flu and cold viruses are many, not single viruses.)

Does this have implications for diseases like measles too? - leaving aside any adverse effects from a reduction in take-up of vaccines because of people’s fear of visiting GP surgeries.)

We are probably looking at Measles epidemics (it lives in the air) as parents have stopped (or been prevented from) vaccinating against it in fear of a less infectious / deadly diseasd

Measles is incredibly contagious though (is it the most contagious virus?). Left unchecked one person can infect up to 18 others. Hopefully the vaccination rates will increase once lockdown is lifted slightly.

We are probably looking at Measles epidemics (it lives in the air) as parents have stopped (or been prevented from) vaccinating against it

I have heard this and obviously it's a major worry, but was wondering whether the lockdown might have a lasting beneficial effect to counter it.

SunbathingDragon That's interesting (alarming) - I knew it was highly infectious but not quite how much so.

It's an interesting thought OP. I wondered if we could use the opportunity to eradicate head lice! If everyone who had nits made sure they treated them in lockdown it would be great.

Re measles, my DS is having his vaccines as normal in 2 weeks. I haven't heard of parents being prevented from having them.

It stands to reason that communicable diseases would have gone down during lockdown

DS had his MMR yesterday so still going ahead here!

I think your normal cold is still going round. I've got a cold - no C19 specific symptoms - despite only going to a supermarket twice and school twice. No child or adult was ill with a cold at school, obviously I don't know about the supermarket.

I've also wondered this, and wondered if our immunity after lockdown will be lower as our immune systems haven't been fighting much lately due to being locked away!

I wondered if we could use the opportunity to eradicate head lice! If everyone who had nits made sure they treated them in lockdown it would be great.

Wouldn't it just!

I have heard this and obviously it's a major worry, but was wondering whether the lockdown might have a lasting beneficial effect to counter it.

I think Measles can live in the air which is why it’s so infectious, so social distancing wouldn’t work. You can be infected hours after a contagious person has left the room. The only way to stop transmission without vaccination is to shield the sufferer (and their families and everybody they came into contact with).

I think your normal cold is still going round. I've got a cold - no C19 specific symptoms - despite only going to a supermarket twice and school twice

So strange, you'd wonder how that was possible. It hasn't even eliminated them in the short term then - viruses with a short incubation period. Not much hope for the longer term then.

I think Measles can live in the air which is why it’s so infectious, so social distancing wouldn’t work. You can be infected hours after a contagious person has left the room.

Hand washing will help with norovirus

I’m hoping the parents on FB who complain that they “treated” their kids’ nits one day only for them to come back from school “riddled” with them the next day will finally realise that most headlice treatments aren’t effective, except combing, and it is their ineffective treatment of their child that is the problem!

On other illnesses, who knows? I guess there will still be some transmission in the same way Covid-19 is still being transmitted, albeit more slowly.

Hand washing will help with norovirus

Yes, and particularly because people may even have developed the habit of thorough handwashing for life.

I've wondered about this too. Particularly as I have had two colds since lockdown started, despite only going to the supermarket once a week .

Child Imms are still going on. Measles is due to moron antivaxxers

Vaccinations still happening here, albeit extremely quickly, in the surgery carpark and with everyone wearing masks, gloves etc. All the talking and consents done over the phone beforehand. Last thing we need is a measles or whooping cough epidemic after we all get out again - that would be far more dangerous to children than the tiny chance of catching and becoming seriously ill with Covid from being vaccinated.

5th Vit D3 study from Belgium.

Males showed markedly higher percentage of vitamin D deficiency ..Vit D deficiency is a possible risk factor for severe infection in males. Vit D3 supplementation might be an inexpensive, accessible and safe mitigation for covid

Link :
www.medrxiv.org/content/10.1101/2020.05.01.20079376v1