Posted on 06/27/2020 10:45:58 AM PDT by SeekAndFind
Prolonged periods of lockdown cocooning the public from germs could leave people dangerously vulnerable to new viruses, a leading epidemiologist has warned.
Sunetra Gupta, professor of theoretical epidemiology at the University of Oxford, fears intense social distancing could actually weaken immune systems because people are not exposed to germs and so do not develop defences that could protect them against future pandemics.
The scientist rose to prominence in March after her team’s modelling created a best case scenario where coronavirus arrived in the UK in December and spread quickly through the population creating “herd immunity”, already partly acquired through exposure to different strains of the virus.
Her research rivalled that of Professor Neil Ferguson, the Imperial College London professor whose worst case scenario of 500,000 UK deaths encouraged the Government into lockdown.
Prof Gupta told The Telegraph that while it was “unlikely” the three months of lockdown had compromised our immune system, there remained a possibility it had had an impact.
“This is a warning to not assume that the situation where we don’t suffer regular assaults by pathogens puts us in a better position,” she said.
“If we return to the point where we have no exposure, where we keep everything out and return to a state of existing as relatively isolated communities, we are like clumps of trees waiting to be set ablaze.
“That’s how things were in the age of pandemics.” She said the 1918 ‘Spanish flu’ pandemic which led to at least 50 million deaths was “such a shocker” because so many of those who perished were fit and healthy people under 40.
“That was because in 1918 there had been no flu at all around in Europe for 30 years,” she said.
(Excerpt) Read more at telegraph.co.uk ...
Lol
I’m sure there are still more than a few who think we should have locked our doors until 2021
Six or seven years ago I started taking vitamin supplements every day, and noticed that I got a lot fewer colds. However, when I do get a cold, it seemed to be more serious and lasts longer.
Or at least until we find out who wins the upcoming election. If it's Biden, I'm sure we'll be given the all-clear signal. If it's Trump, it'll be another six weeks of lockdown. Followed by another six week lockdown. Followed by....well, you get the idea.
Either way, lockdowns will be the way we deal with flu season every time there's an election coming up.
The girl in that movie, Glynnis O’Connor, was (I thought) incredibly fetching.
Wait till fall when the new flu season starts.
And you are right. Heck I didn’t hear about the virus during the riots.
Well, duh.
The immune system is like a muscle. Exercise it and it grows stronger. Don’t exercise it and it atrophies.
EXACTLY what I was thinking today listening to a “Covid and other respiratory illnesses” commercial. In 6 mons people will be getting seriously ill who might not have without this moronic lockdown.
It also cracks me up how they seem to think that the stream of money out there that we all commercially tap isn’t going to dwindle pecipitously.
Same thing with using hand sanitizer all the time.
Eat more dirt! And don’t wash yer hands!
“Prolonged periods of lockdown cocooning the public”
Wish I could read the full article. What is the definition of Prolonged periods, I do not think two to three months would create this problem. Maybe 5 years might create an issue.
I will hold opinion on the article until I read the rest of it.
When this Coronavirus thing first started, I continued to go out and continue to work, and play the sport I love. When I go out to the course to play, I pick up trash. Have for 50 years. Everyone was telling me, "ewww , don't pick up the trash. You'll get sick."
We are talking about trash discarded by people who do drugs, who are illegal invaders, who are around all kinds of nasty things.
Well... I haven't been 'sick' for so long I can't remember when I was last 'sick'. Part of it is my immune system, and part of it is that I don't believe that I will get sick just because I am exposed to germs and viruses.
What I find most interesting is that people who get sick the most often, are also the same people that take all kinds of pills. Makes you wonder.
My wife teaches kindergarten, and there is definitely a correlation between the number of kids with ear infections, allergies, etc and the lack of playing outside and the incessant forced use of hand sanitizer.
I have yet to wear a mask, and will not do so. Free man in a free country.
The lockdown was supposed to be short, until med supplies and personnel and hospital beds were ramped up. It should ebb and flow with the capacity for care. Not the likelihood of cases.
I agree with you completely. Kids aren’t “allowed” to be sick. Hand sanitizer, antibacterial soap, go home from school or stay home with the least little thing. I remember most of us walking around with minor respiratory illnesses all winter and it was “normal.” Kids get colds! We only got sent home from school if we had vomiting or diarrhea. I never heard of a peanut allergy until I was an adult.
Modern kids immune systems don’t have anything to do and so start reacting to things that they shouldn’t, such as peanuts.
Hand sanitizer and antibacterial soap are great in healthcare facilities but most of us don’t need to use them at home.
Yes it is a free country. Feel free not to wear a mask. Don’t care if you do or not.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.