‘That is good for your immunity’

Cycling half an hour in the rain to school, good for my immunity. Rinsing and eating a strawberry that rolled across the kitchen floor, good for my immunity. Going to exercise with a runny nose, good for my immunity. It was a bit of the mantra from the past and I must say: my immunity is still functioning excellently. But will it stay that way?

Washing the ears

I heard on the news that there have never been so few cases of stomach flu as now. Seems logical to me, because my neighbor girl almost jumps into the ditch when I meet her on the sidewalk. And that mother washed her son's ears when he parked his bike quite close to me at the traffic light. Nothing good for your immunity, but keeping distance. But what does that actually do to my normally quite good immunity? Because I now almost have the idea that I'm getting a runny nose just by looking at a sneezing passerby.

Immune or not?

Our immune system works precisely because it is exposed to all kinds of viruses and bacteria. Does that mean our immunity decreases now? No, because if you are vaccinated or have had chickenpox, it can very well be that you are immune for the rest and do not get it. But it doesn't have to be that way.

A little dirty

A reassuring answer is given by emeritus professor of virology and viral diseases Peter Rottier to Quest. You have a strong immune system or you don't, the fact that you are now a bit less exposed to bacteria and viruses because you are washing your hands a lot (as Rutte puts it so nicely) has no influence on that. So nothing to worry about if you see a bit fewer people now or are a bit less of a dirty person. That shouldn't have an effect in the long term.

A little less each time

If you now think you are safe from the coronavirus because you have already had it, then we have to disappoint you. This kind of virus mutates, which means it can still catch you at a later time. However, it seems to become a little less each time, which makes it a little less unfortunate. And eventually, the current virus might just turn into a runny nose, because something similar happened in 1890. I can't wait.

One thing I do know: all those trips through the rain to school in the past were therefore good for nothing, because my immune system was already doing its job well. The disappointment.