Is COVID-19 really to blame for the new wave of respiratory viral infections?

  • Opinion
  • Professor Sheena Cruickshank
  • 27 January 2023

Over the past month or two, many northern hemisphere countries including the US and the UK have seen a large wave of respiratory viral infections.

These include RSV, flu and COVID in all ages, as well as bacterial infections such as strep A in children.

As a result, the UK has seen a huge surge in hospital admissions during winter, putting the health service under further stress.

This had led some to question whether COVID damages our immune systems.