Preliminary study suggests Covid infection damages the immune system, notably T cell CD8 production

[SofiaDeo]

This would contribute to "why" everyone seems to be getting respiratory viruses this year. Not being exposed to standard circulating viruses, due to masking, has been theorized as the "reason" many more people are ill this year, and for increased incidence of parainfluenza, RSV, and other respiratory illnesses. And is a reason some people are arguing against continued mask use.

However, an inability to make CD8 cells would contribute to increased illness.

So if true, avoiding Covid infection, and us being "more careful" after an infection, may be warranted. In case our already impaired immune system is further damaged.

This is preliminary data in a small number of people; note that the language say the study "suggests" not that this is definately true.

time.com/6265510/covid-19-w...

beckershospitalreview.com/p...

nih.gov/news-events/news-re...

cell.com/immunity/fulltext/...

My takeaway is, if one did get Covid, our group in particular may be more at risk than usual. If our T cell in addition to B cell function is impaired, that puts us at a higher risk for infection, including opportunistic. We saw this with the HIV disease state, which pretty much wipes out CD8 T cells.

So those of us who have concerns, may want to consider masking if turning a large amount of soil outdoors, and wear one if cleaning moldy areas. Take pictures of skin problems, to see if they go away or actually escalate. Note the date of odd symptoms, to see if they go away. Especially if you have had Covid several times, IMO.

This is not to be an alarmist, I am not saying "you definately will get sick". But it could explain why some of us seem to have our colds linger, or why friends and family members also seem to have more illness this past winter. Noting symptoms to see if there is a pattern, or if skin oddities change, and allowing ourselves to rest, and eat/drink/sleep well, will prevent a little nothing if it starts to turn into something.

Note that this post is intentionally unlocked.

If anyone has concerns, I would just ask for a CD8 test at your next routine CBC. It's inexpensive and readily available, not one of those "must send away to a special lab" tests. You can check intermittently, to see if there are changes.

[Denisguay]

With mask but alive!!

[Lilsa]

thank you SofiaDeo that makes good sense to me.

[Vlaminck]

Wonder if this result, if accurate, would vary with the different variations (delta, different omicrons, etc)

[EugeneL2 in reply to Vlaminck]

Great question. From the paper, the samples were from March 2020 to earlier 2021, likely covering the original variant, not omicrons.