Fewer circulatory injuries during a pandemic

Not a single case of measles, and hardly any sore throat. Pandemic restrictions have reduced many infections. The number of cases of gonorrhea and dengue fever also decreased. But we cannot escape the RS virus and winter sickness.

There is no evil without good: the incidence of a number of infectious diseases has dropped dramatically during the years of the pandemic. This is shown by figures from the Public Health Agency.

For example, not a single case of measles was reported in 2021, not in all of Sweden.

Even when it comes to childhood illnesses such as whooping cough and mumps, only two and three cases have been reported in the Stockholm area.

From outside

Because even though all children are offered vaccinations, and coverage is around 95 percent, the measles outbreak in particular has occurred in recent years. The infection was often brought from other countries, with lower vaccination rates.

Trace infection in hospital after measles

The group of beta-hemolytic streptococcus, which causes strep throat, scarlet fever and swine pox, has also been kept at bay, with only 40 cases reported in the region in 2021.

RS virus hit hard

But something that epidemiological restrictions don’t seem to allow is the RS virus, nor the calsivirus that causes winter sickness. Both diseases hit hard last winter.

– In the year before that, when restrictions were more extensive, fewer people got sick. So in the winter of 2021-2022, there were more people who didn’t get infected, and they were more likely to get infected, says Infection Control Physician Assistant Åsa Sjödin Leufvén.

By that logic, should we be easier this year?

– We hope so.

Or have we developed a weaker immune system from avoiding contact and infections during an epidemic?

– I don’t know. But it’s important to stay home when you’re sick, and for older adults to be vaccinated against the flu and take a booster shot against COVID-19, she says.

Venereal diseases such as gonorrhea and chlamydia have also decreased significantly during the pandemic, and of course diseases that can affect travel abroad, such as dengue fever, salmonella and dysentery.