Pirate's Cove

They’re actually correct in this, which is why I’ve repeatedly said here, on Twitter, in comment sections, and in real life that I’m fine with continued social distancing, not shaking hands or fist bumping, not touching except for close friends and family, washing my hands more than I did prior, and just doing things differently. Yes, I’m fully vaccinated, but, it’s not really COVID that concerns me

There’s a downside to returning to pre-COVID-19 hygiene habits — colds and sore throats are back, doctors say

Many things Americans gave up over the course of the COVID-19 pandemic are coming back, from parties and meals out to hugs and movies. Normalcy also has a downside — the return of colds, sore throats and the sniffles

“People are taking off their masks, they’re no longer socially distancing, they’re not washing their hands as much and they’re getting sick again,” said Dr. Aaron Glatt, CEO of Mount Sinai hospital in South Nassau, New York.

Getting back to normal “comes at a price,” said Glatt, who is also a fellow with the Infectious Diseases Society of America.

After a year of almost no colds, no runny noses and no watery eyes, the minor viruses kept in control by COVID-19 restrictions are making a comeback.

I haven’t had a cold or the flu, even minor, since prior to COVID. Allergies have messed with me just as much, even while wearing a mask, so, rather puts the whole masking thing to lie. If I’m wearing a mask properly and getting a lot of pollen on my face and in my nose, well, pollen is bigger than a virus, right?

Of most importance was influenza, which was at an all-time low this year. The flu season ends in April or May, so it’s not likely to rear up during the summer. But other annoying, though less dangerous viruses, are still out there.

Not having to deal with commonplace colds and viruses has made this “a remarkable year,” said Dr. Clifford Medina, chief of general medicine at Mount Sinai Medical Center in Miami.

In Atlanta, Dr. Jennifer Shu, a pediatrician and the medical editor of Healthy Children magazine, is seeing an uptick in colds, RSV, rotavirus (which causes vomiting and diarrhea) and strep throat.

“We haven’t had a case of COVID (among our patients) since March 12, but we’re seeing all kinds of run-of-the-mill viruses,” she said. “It’s not more than normal. It’s just a stark contrast from seeing nothing for a year except COVID.”

And the big problem, besides being sick, which sucks, right, is that your boss might go “well, we have to be sure, we’ll see you in 15 days.” And now you’re out for just over two weeks. Even with a negative COVID test, and might there start being fewer testing sites soon(?), they might tell you to stay away for 15 days. And, it stinks to have a cold or the flu. Or something else. And people will be really reticent on dealing with you if you have the aftereffects when you get back.

“Some cold viruses are a little hardier than COVID-19, they last longer on surfaces,” she said. Not being careful about hand-washing or touching the face with hands means they have more chance of jumping to new hosts, he said.

So, yeah, I’ll continue doing my thing. The original directives: wash your hands, don’t touch your face (that’s where the mask helped the most), social distance, don’t touch. I’ve seen how people do not wash their hands. In the past I’ve seen the nastiness on their phones. If some people are upset I won’t shake hands, that’s on them. Times have changed. Perhaps I’ll have to start carrying hand sanitizer around again.

Going forward, Americans would do well to continue practicing the things learned during COVID-19. That doesn’t mean washing down groceries, or never seeing friends or loved ones. But a little care makes a big difference, experts say.

Yes.