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ALT PSA: You DO NOT need to get sick to build a strong immune system! This thinking or 'hygiene hypothesis' was extrapolated from an old study on exposure to microbes and prevention of allergies. It has since evolved erroneously to include pathogens, but there is zero evidence to show this is true. There is simply NO ADVANTAGE to getting sick. Exposure to a pathogen does not necessarily mean you will mount long-term immunity. For example, immunity from most cold related viruses are short-lived, and cause repeat infections and potential health complications. Even in diseases where you can have life-long immunity, such as measles, immunity comes at a huge cost to overall health. Vaccines help us mount immunity with little associated risk. Preventing disease and reducing severity is important, this is why we take the effort to develop new vaccines such as for RSV or update influenza vaccines yearly. unambiquous SCIENCE
ALT PSA: Masks and other public health measures have NOT caused an increase in viral illness or severity The theory claims that lack of exposure to infections weakened people's immune systems, causing them to have severe or more frequent infections. This is simply untrue. The first year after precautions were dropped, it was known we would see a quick rise in other viral infections as people would be exposed at the same time after not being exposed in the year prior (recall we have short-lived immunity to most cold viruses). Remember, our immune system is constantly working - we are exposed to trillions of microbes and pathogens on a daily basis. Lack of exposure to infections does not weaken the immune system, and conversely, infections do not build your immune system. The public health measures we took in the last few years only helped reduce the burden of illness. unambiquous SCIENCE