Temperature changes in Lima are also affected by El Niño.Photo: LR/Andina Composition
Sneezing, sore throat, cough, or various respiratory problems healthy Recently, they can be observed in any environment, whether at home, on the bus or in the office. On social networks, several users in Lima reported that it could be climate change or a new variant of COVID-19. We spoke to a doctor who specializes in viruses and immunology to address concerns.
Climate change: Why do we catch colds?
During this period climate change, it can be observed that people with colds or respiratory discomfort have a higher incidence rate.according to Juan More BayonaDoctors specializing in immunology and virology say this is due to certain factors such as temperature, humidity and viruses in the environment.
“In many cases, it is related to allergies; but in other cases, the symptoms are related to Virus What causes these respiratory problems,” say the experts at La República.
First, it is important to note that viruses are inanimate medium They need a host to reproduce. These microscopic entities are in circulation all the time. What happens during climate change to increase its spread?
High temperatures during the day and high humidity at night are some of the characteristics of Lima’s summer climate.Photo: Andina
“Climate changing seasons favor the persistence of proteins and genetic material viruses in the environment. When there are higher humidityThe virus can survive longer, meaning transmission can occur when humans are exposed to the virus. “The expert introduced in detail.
Likewise, increased transmission could be exacerbated if temperature changes are more sudden, as is the case in North American countries. “Therefore, in Peru, cases may increase due to climate change. winter as he did summer“, it noted.
What other factors influence this?
More Bayona said the presence of the virus is just one of many reasons why it spreads. disease And pointed out that this is a quite complex phenomenon.
“The spread not only depends on whether the virus mutates, but is part of the whole. In addition to the virus, there are also humidity, movement of people, temperature, health There are many factors that make the virus spread easily. A lot of times we don’t measure it and we just think it’s a virus,” he details.
How to differentiate between a cold and COVID-19?
“Because people are highly immune, COVID-19 does not represent a serious problem for the vast majority of people. It may be a respiratory problem and you recover after a few days. The same thing will happen with influenza or rhinovirus,” Moore Bayana said. In view of this, he suggested that in order to determine the type of disease, exclusion tests are necessary because the symptoms are similar.
The most common viruses include influenza, influenza, rhinovirus, and SaRS-CoV-2.Photo: Andina