Flu, colds and Covid: what is going to viral winter seem like? – rts.ch
With the onset of autumn a number of viruses reappear. Sars-Cov2, which is on the origin of Covid-19, thus mixes with different seasonal respiratory viruses, such because the rhinovirus, the one which is most frequently the reason for the frequent chilly.
Whereas Sars-Cov2 mixes with different viruses, the signs are so shut that it turns into troublesome to inform them aside. “Respiratory viruses symbolize a number of households of viruses which can be biologically very totally different however which trigger related signs. We can not due to this fact guess which virus it’s based mostly on the signs”, explains Manuel Schibler, head of the HUG Virology Laboratory. .
As screening for the coronavirus is not systematic, virologists not have a whole view of its evolution. They observe that Covid-19 remains to be circulating beneath the dominant Omicron variant now for nearly a yr.
Covid-19, a virus like every other?
For the World Well being Group (WHO), the top of the pandemic is close to. Sars-Cov2 ought to quickly grow to be a virus like every other.
“Sars-Cov2 will in all probability be the dominant respiratory virus this winter and maybe subsequent yr or the next years we’ll see a steadiness settle in. This may enable it to be categorised with the opposite commonplace and recognized viruses” , emphasizes Manuel Schibler.
This winter, the circumstances of Covid-19 are due to this fact prone to improve with the chilly, based on the virologist. However for him, the affect on well being and on hospitals shouldn’t be heavy due to the collective immunity of the inhabitants in Switzerland.
The Federal Workplace of Public Well being (OFSP) introduced on Tuesday 25,134 new circumstances of coronavirus in seven days. There are 13 further deaths and 290 sufferers have been hospitalized. These numbers are up sharply from final week.
>> Learn additionally: The variety of new Covid circumstances has elevated sharply over every week
The return of the flu
For its half, the flu is making a comeback. Whereas the virus had hardly circulated in 2020 and 2021 with well being measures, in 2022 it ought to return to regular, based on Manuel Schibler. “Within the southern hemisphere, the place the flu season is staggered and ends quickly, now we have noticed virtually regular circulation,” he explains.
Nonetheless, the immune defenses of the inhabitants are much less tailored to the flu after the 2 years with out having confronted it. “Immune safety in opposition to influenza is short-lived and it’s significantly vital for weak folks to get vaccinated this season”, recollects Manuel Schibler.
Alexandra Richard/aps
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