Scientists have found that lockdowns cause much higher levels of inflammation in people’s bodies.
It is believed that lack of exposure to common germs weakened our immune system, leaving us more vulnerable to infections and illnesses.
Researchers in the Netherlands tracked 1,800 people before, during and after the draconian measures, which also included school closures and mask mandates, were imposed.
Laboratory tests showed that before lockdowns, patients exposed to a variety of bacteria and viruses generally had low levels of inflammation in their bodies.
But after measures were imposed and people were forced to stay home, laboratory tests showed that exposure to bacteria or viruses caused “hyperinflammation.”
Experts said high levels of inflammation could cause people to suffer more severe symptoms in response to common infections.
Dr. Mihai Netea, a doctor who led the study, said: “In our daily lives, we are constantly exposed to various microorganisms. This helps train our immune system, teaching it to recognize which microorganisms are dangerous and which are harmless.
‘During lockdown, we missed that interaction because everyone stayed home and avoided each other. “As a result, during and immediately after periods of confinement, immune cells exposed to microorganisms showed a less regulated response, predisposing to hyperinflammation.”
The image above shows Times Square in New York City during lockdown, on March 24, 2020, at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.
The researchers linked their results to the hygiene hypothesis, or the idea that reduced exposure to pathogens can increase the risk of problems with the immune system.
In the paper, the scientists said the impact of this increase on inflammation levels was unclear.
But previous studies have suggested that high levels of inflammation may increase the risk of plaque depositing on artery walls, narrowing them and increasing the risk of heart disease.
Scientists have also suggested that, in the long term, high levels of inflammation may increase the risk of cancer, dementia, and other health conditions.
In the study, published today in the journal Borders – Researchers recruited participants between October 2019 and October 2021.
In total, 368 participants were recruited before the pandemic, while 851 were recruited after lockdown but before Covid infection or vaccination.
Almost all of the participants had HIV, and these individuals were used because their blood is periodically tested for HIV and levels of inflammation.
Patients with HIV may have low-grade levels of chronic inflammation due to the infection, which increases the risk of many diseases, including heart diseases. It can be monitored as part of the care of patients with the infection.
The study also included 175 people who had contracted Covid infection and 404 people who were vaccinated against the disease.
Doctors have warned that lockdowns could cause people to have higher levels of inflammation in their bodies (stock)
The scientists isolated immune cells from the volunteers’ blood and examined how they interacted with viruses and bacteria.
Pathogens tested included E. coli, pneumonia, tuberculosis, and the common fungus C. albicans.
The results of these tests in patients with HIV were compared with those of 30 people who did not have the disease and whose blood was also analyzed before and after confinement.
Dr Netea added: “Lockdowns were necessary during the pandemic, especially at the beginning.
“However, it is important that we better understand how social interactions affect and activate our immune system, so that we can better manage the consequences.
“This way we will be able to apply such drastic social measures effectively and safely in a future pandemic.”
Like some parts of the United States, the Netherlands also imposed a lockdown at the beginning of the Covid pandemic.
The Netherlands had its first lockdown from March 23 to June 1, 2020. Another lockdown was declared from December 2020 to February 2021, and a third in December 2021.
The second lockdown sparked protests across the country, with local authorities even using water cannons to force people to follow the restrictions.
In the United States, lockdowns were decided by state, with Democratic states like New York and California implementing restrictions much faster than their Republican counterparts.
While the study did not look at masks, mandates to wear them were imposed in the Netherlands around the same time.
Other research has shown that masks make “little or no difference” to whether someone might suffer a Covid infection.
There is a risk that continuing to wear the same mask for long periods will cause a significant amount of bacteria and viruses to accumulate on it and then be inhaled by the user, causing high levels of inflammation.