The common cold was rare during 2020 — but it’s having a resurgence

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According to a new report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, levels of influenza and other non COVID-19 respiratory virus were at historical lows for most of 2020. Although there is still very little flu, other viruses, including parainfluenza virus and common human coronaviruses that cause colds, are experiencing an out-of season resurgence in 2021.

The analysis revealed that flu levels in the United States fell to their lowest level since 1997, when there was no flu season data. Experts believe that the COVID-19 protection measures -- masking, distancing -- helped to suppress the flu in the United States.

According to the CDC report, this year's almost non-existent flu season might have meant that this winter and fall's flu seasons could be more severe. People may not have been exposed as often to influenza this year because there wasn't as much of it. This could have a negative impact on the normal immunity levels to the virus.

 The report's authors wrote that a lower level of immunity in the population, particularly among children younger than six months, could lead to more widespread disease and an even more severe epidemic if the virus circulates again. According to the authors, doctors and nurses should encourage all children over six months old to have their flu shots this fall.

In 2020 and 2021, the circulation of respiratory syndrome virus (RSV), which causes colds in adults but can also be deadly for infants, was also reduced. The rates started to rise in April 2021 which is quite unusual since the peak of this virus occurs in January. Common human coronaviruses and parainfluenza viruses followed a similar trend. Levels were low through 2020, but then began to rise in February 2021.

These viruses were likely suppressed by public health measures that were used to stop the spread of COVID-19 in 2020. They rebounded when some restrictions on the US became looser. The exact response of the flu and other cold-causing viruses to the different strategies against COVID-19 is still unknown. Therefore, the trends in these viruses could change over the next year as the efforts to combat the pandemic go on.

According to the CDC report, "Clinicians need to be aware that respiratory virus might not display typical seasonal circulation patterns"

It might be harder for doctors and patients to distinguish between COVID-19 symptoms from other illnesses due to the increase in common cold viruses. Any symptoms that resembled flu or cold symptoms in 2020 were likely to be COVID-19. It was the only virus around. The picture is changing now that there are other viruses on the horizon.