We may be a few years out from the COVID-19 pandemic, but similar to influenza, each season brings a new strain of the respiratory infection—some of which are stronger and more contagious than others. In fact, COVID levels are surging in 11 states (and “growing” in 36 states) right now, as omicron subvariants Nimbus and “Stratus” continue to spread.
As Best Life previously explained, “Nimbus (B. 1.8.1) accounted for nearly 50 percent of COVID cases in June, while XFG or “Stratus” picked up speed in July. Stratus is a mix of two earlier strains: LF.7 and LP.8.1.2. It’s considered the more serious of the two because of how rapidly it’s spreading across the country.”
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says COVID is an imminent threat heading into the fall, when cases of the common cold and flu are historically high. As a matter of fact, the agency “just reported a 10 percent increase in test positivity rates, and COVID-related emergency room visits are also up 15.2 percent from the week prior.”
There are things you can do to reduce your COVID risk, such as wearing a mask and staying up-to-date on your SARS-CoV-2 vaccine. Furthermore, you might find protection from COVID-19 through the common cold.
RELATED: COVID Levels Are Surging in 11 States As Stratus Variant Spreads.
According to a new study published in The Journal of Infectious Diseases, individuals, particularly children, are at lower risk of catching COVID after a bout with the common cold. That’s because, as scientists theorize, rhinovirus infections (the typical cause of the common cold) seemingly prep the body to better defend itself against SARS-Co-V-2 infections.
“Our findings suggest that the immune boost from a recent cold may give the body an early advantage in fighting SARS-CoV-2 before it has a chance to take hold,” senior study author Max Seibold, PhD, a researcher and director of the Regenerative Medicine and Genome Editing Program (REGEN) at National Jewish Health, said in a news release. “This may help explain why children, who tend to get more colds than adults, generally experience fewer and less severe COVID cases.”
To arrive at their findings, the team tested 10,493 nasal swabs for 21 respiratory pathogens—including rhinovirus and SARS-CoV-2 infections—from 4,100 people in 1,394 households. These were collected from May 2020 to Feb. 2021.
Results showed that patients who had contracted a rhinovirus infection in the last 30 days were 48 percent less likely to test positive for COVID-19.
Additionally, children had higher “baseline expression levels of interferons.” These are naturally occurring agents that fight infections and diseases from infiltrating your immune system.
“They got their name because they ‘interfere’ with viruses and other germs and prevent them from multiplying,” explains Cleveland Clinic. As you might be able to surmise, more interferons means a better chance at staving off diseases, like COVID.
“Based on these findings, we hypothesize that interferons induced by prior viral respiratory infections may prime the airways of children with high levels of antiviral defense proteins, resulting in reduced levels of SARS-CoV-2 infection and better clinical outcomes compared to adults,” the authors wrote in the study.
RELATED: You Can Get the Nasal Spray Flu Vaccine Delivered to Your House This Year—Here’s How.
However, lead author Camille Moore, PhD, warned that this “doesn’t mean people should intentionally try to catch a cold.”
“Understanding how one virus can affect the body’s response to another could help us develop new prevention strategies, especially for vulnerable populations,” she added.
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