A recent News article: “Immunity debt” suggests that much of what we are seeing this fall (2022) relates to a lack of our immune systems seeing many viruses during the Covid-19 pandemic while masking was widespread.

The idea of an “immunity debt” – where our immune systems are “catching up” to viruses – reflects a lot of what I have seen clinically with a surge in viral infections (colds and flu) as people have resumed normal activity with school, in-person work, and social interactions.

The recovery of our immune systems through encountering normal circulating viruses is important, but means that there are frequently back-to-back infections that can also occur.

See also: Reactive Airways