Table of Contents
The News
- New Zealand hospitals are experiencing the payoff of “immunity debt” created by Covid-19 lockdowns, with wards flooded by babies with a potentially-deadly respiratory virus.
Covid-19 & NPIs
The Effect of NPIs
Immunity Debt
- “Immunity debt” refers to the lack of immune stimulation due to the reduced exposure to viruses, germs and bacteria as a result of COVID-19 safety and lockdown measures.
- The “immunity debt” occurs because of measures like lockdowns, hand-washing, social distancing and masks which are not only effective at controlling Covid-19 but they also suppress the spread of other illnesses that transmit in a similar way, including the flu, common cold etc.
Immunity Debt
- In New Zealand, due to lockdowns last winter (2020), it led to a 99.9% reduction in flu cases and a 98% reduction in RSV (Respiratory syncytial virus).
- This positive collateral effect in the short term was welcome as it prevented additional overload of the healthcare system which was already burdened due to Covid cases.
- However, after the lockdown was eased out, New Zealand hospitals experienced large cases of babies affected by RSV. New Zealand has reported more than 1,000 RSV cases in the last two months.
- In general, RSV is a common respiratory illness & a very common cause of winter hospitalisation of children, elderly people and people with suppressed immune systems.
So, What’s the take?
Should we abandon NPIs?
Absolutely No..!!
- It is true, that lockdown & Social distancing has huge social and economic costs but they have been able to contain the Covid-19.
- However, going into future we must be ready for issues arising out of immunity debt. Also, we may rethink how stringent should lockdown measures be in future?
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