For the past two years, our immune system has been less subject than usual to microbes, bacteria and viruses due to the wearing of masks and restrictive measures. However, since the beginning of March, Belgium has taken the decision to drop the masks. Today some “refractory” argue a health argument: surgical or fabric, it would have weakened our immune defenses. But is this really the case? The dot with Dr Charlottereferring doctor in “La Grande Forme”.
For now, it’s madness in general practice; all the viruses are there at the same time: flu, nasopharyngitis, pollen allergies, gastroenteritis, chickenpox and even Covid-19 which generates an average of 10,000 contaminations per day, explains Dr Charlotte.
Before adding that indeed, we stopped wearing the mask and recirculated the viruses; The flu virus arrived later than usual but this is not necessarily due to an immune weakness…
Theory of hygienists
L’hygienist hypothesis is a theory that a reduction in early exposure to infections and microbial components in industrialized countries would lead to a decrease in the maturation of the immune system and, consequently, an increase in the prevalence allergic, autoimmune, inflammatory diseases or certain cancers. This theory also explains that the aseptic lifestyle would be the factor explaining the resurgence of autoimmune diseaseshuman beings developing a immune response excessive.
As a result, in the presence of a virus or pollen, we will overreact if we haven’t always had bacteria in our environment. This theory has been demonstrated through an experiment with animals raised in very sterile situations: their immune system in these animals was therefore not good or even very bad. Since then, the world has evolved, microbes too and this theory seems outdated. Although some still strongly believe in it.
