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> Lockdown measures had not managed to stop ordinary colds and respiratory illnesses, such as rhinoviruses - which had dropped slightly during lockdown but boun
by mysterypie 6y ago
> Lockdown measures had not managed to stop ordinary colds and respiratory illnesses, such as rhinoviruses - which had dropped slightly during lockdown but bounced back soon after. "A lot does come down to their reservoirs and some are so well-adapted for humans and they're so widespread in the population that they are not affected a great deal by the lockdown."
Can anyone explain why colds have not come down as well? I don't understand what they mean by reservoirs.
As a related question, I've read that we all have cold viruses inside of us all the time, and they can be triggered by an immune weakness (such as by being in the cold outside). I've also read that you get a cold only because the virus is transmitted to you from someone else (which is more likely in the cold months when we're huddled together). Which is it? Can you develop a cold from a pre-existing internal virus with zero contact from another person?
- deleted 6y ago[deleted]
- saboot 6y agoI believe reservoirs refer to animals that can also carry the cold or virus but are not affected by government measures
- dmead 6y agoThank you. Would you like to tell me more about the role of government?
- wenbert 6y agoI'm no expert but NZ houses suck. Little to no insulation. Some air can go in gaps between doors and windows, etc. Central heating is non-existant. Old stock. Mouldy. Damp. During winter some landlords tell their tenants to open windows to air the house out. That might be it?
- thechao 6y agoColds are spread by a virus, not by air conditioning, or the lack of it.
- lostlogin 6y agoCramped, damp and cold housing is bad for health and New Zealand has a lot of both these problems.
- plorkyeran 6y agoAmbient conditions can make it more likely to manifest symptoms of a cold if you are infected. They will not make the virus appear out of nowhere.
- lostlogin 6y agoRheumatic fever is particularly problematic in NZ. There are a host of factors and NZs dealing with is has been bad.
- thechao 6y agoI would love to see the paper that shows that damp or cold affects infection rate. Cramped, for sure, for proximal infection.