“Generally, at this time of year, we only see influenza in people returning from travel,” Radleberger-Fritz says. However, there are currently cases in people who have not traveled: “And this is really unusual.”
Irwin Rasinger, a Viennese general practitioner, says: “I’ve been a doctor for almost 40 years, but I’ve never seen so many colds in the summer with cough, runny nose, sore throat and headache.”
It is not possible for the affected people to distinguish whether they are suffering from covid or other infection.
“One usually says that the true viral flu has a sudden onset of illness with high fever, cough, chills, aching limbs, and sore throat,” says Radleberger-Fritz. “And flu-like infections result in a lot of colds and only slightly elevated temperatures.” However: “Covid-19 is right in the middle, as it can cause all the symptoms.”
Immune system is not weakened
The fact that these diseases are now so common “is simply related to the fact that the immune system has not been exposed to these viruses in recent years”. However, the immune system is not weakened, it was simply a lack of training against these viruses through regular exposure, says Radelberger-Fritz: “Our immune system has not been exposed to these viruses in recent years and has not been able to develop. Wasn’t trained for. -Called cross-protection install.” This means: “Once you have passed the infection, you have very good immunity against the exact same virus or a slightly modified virus. Then the immune system is boosted with the next infection without causing serious symptoms.” This training hasn’t happened yet. It’s happened in the last few years.” General practitioner Rasinger emphasizes that the course of illness with the common cold is no more severe or different than previously thought.
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