> an argument could be made that reduced exposure to viruses long-term may weaken the immune system—though I’m not sure if there were studies to support or refu

> an argument could be made that reduced exposure to viruses long-term may weaken the immune system—though I’m not sure if there were studies to support or refute that). My mental model of the immune system would say this isn't how it works but I am not an expert: Immune response is very specific which means that if you have been exposed to 10 different 'sorts' of viruses then your immune system has likely learned a specific response to those specific viruses. If you now become affected with an 11th kind, then your immune system cannot reuse the specific response it has already learned but has to learn to fight a new enemy. Thus there is very little benefit of becoming infected with a particular virus if you can avoid it. The implications are that by wearing masks or isolating you are avoiding getting viruses which are currently in circulation and if you stop wearing masks or stop isolating then you will likely catch up with the viruses currently in circulation (so you are sick more often), but the individual infection isn't more severe because you haven't had to deal with a lot of viruses for some time.