COVID and the immune system

Kids are getting sicker

This season, H1N1 and H3N2 are both circulating at high levels, with the US experiencing the worst flu season in at least 15 years. 57 children have died. Meanwhile, on January 14, CBS reported that the norovirus wave had already hit more than double last year’s peak, with no end in sight.

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Parents are continually urged to keep their eyes out for illnesses on the ever-growing list of “spiking” and “surging” diseases, though the tone of reporting in the media is one of calm reassurance. 

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At no point in this article are parents urged to wear masks, investigate the air quality at their local schools, or stay home when ill. It’s unclear, what, exactly, “watching out”, lacking any public health interventions or guidance whatsoever, is supposed to accomplish.

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Immune dysregulation and autoimmunity are considered to be major factors underlying the pathogenesis of Long COVID. A January 2024 article in Science titled “Immune Damage in Long COVID” states: 

Patients with Long Covid display signs of immune dysfunction and exhaustion (1), persistent immune cell activation (3), and autoimmune antibody production (1), which are also pathological features of acute COVID-19.

The article goes on to explain that the complement system, part of your innate immune system, is activated during acute infections and is remaining activated in Long COVID patients. The recent piece Solving the Puzzle of Long COVID also lists immune dysregulation and autoimmunity as a leading hypothesis for the underlying pathogenesis of the condition.