Historically, viruses and respiratory tract infections have increased in the winter months. And now, COVID-19 has joined the mix. Have you ever wondered why?

Many studies have been done to learn more about the behaviors and patterns of viruses. New research has surfaced about COVID-19, and scientists are finding that COVID-19 is a lot like other viruses.

Researchers continue to discover reasons why virus rates increase during certain times of the year.

Keep reading to find out what these reasons are and five actions you can take to prevent the spread of COVID-19.

Why Do Respiratory Infections Like COVID-19 Increase in the Winter Months?

I'm sure you've heard of “flu season” or “cold season” that usually happens in the late fall and winter months. You'll probably start to hear that “COVID season” is happening during these months as well. That’s why most annual vaccines are offered beginning in September and October. Many studies have been done surrounding this topic to learn why the rate of viral infections increases in the first place.

While there are several year round viruses, the following viruses are the most common in the winter months: influenza, COVID-19, and RSV.¹

Our body has defenses specifically designed to block out bugs like these. These defenses are located within the passages of our noses and the airways leading to our lungs. The defenses work to decrease the amount of viruses or bacteria that reach your lower respiratory tract, including your lungs.¹

However, research has found that certain seasonal factors can decrease how well these defenses work. These seasonal factors include temperature, humidity, and sunlight.¹

How Temperature, Humidity, and Sunlight Affect Respiratory Illnesses

During the winter months, the temperature is lower, the humidity is lower, and there is less sunlight. It has been found that breathing in low humidity and low temperature air decreases several of those natural defense mechanisms we humans have. Decreased exposure to sunlight has also been found to decrease these defenses.¹

The other contributing factor to increased rates of infection in the winter months is human behavior. When we get together indoors in the winter months under conditions of low temperature, humidity, and sunlight, the chance that a virus can be spread increases. It doesn't take more than one cough or sneeze to release small droplets into the air that can spread illness to other people.

The spread of a virus can also increase based on human hygiene practice, specifically hand washing.¹

How Long Can Viruses Live On A Surfaces and Infect People?

Research has found that the COVID-19 virus can survive longer on most surfaces in the winter months compared to the spring and fall months. In the winter, the COVID-19 virus can survive for up to 21 days. In the spring and fall, the COVID-19 virus can only survive up to 7 days.²

Infection rates of viruses also increase due to the production of variants.

How Many COVID-19 Variants Are There?

First thing’s first: what is a variant and how does it form?

A variant is produced when a virus replicates and an error is made in the genetic code. This produces a virus that is similar to the original but slightly different because of that error. This is why you've probably had a cold, the flu, or maybe COVID-19 multiple times.

However, it has been found that COVID-19 has a significantly lower rate of error during the replication process. This is because the COVID-19 virus contains a unique enzyme that repairs errors made during the replication process.³

Despite this enzyme, several variants have been formed. Variants are categorized into variants of concern and variants of interest. Variants of concern have been shown to have increased transmission rates as well as reinfection rates.³

At this time, there are five variants of concern:³

• Alpha variant

• Beta variant

• Gamma variant

• Delta variant

• Omicron variant

Because these variants have been shown to have an increased rate of transmission as well as reinfection, they may continue to cause increased stress on the hospital and healthcare system as a whole.

5 Ways to Help Protect Yourself and Others From Getting COVID-19

Research about COVID-19 is ongoing, but several methods to reduce the spread of the virus have been studied and found to work well.

1. Get the COVID-19 Vaccine

I know this is a controversial topic, but getting vaccinated remains the best strategy to decrease the spread of COVID-19. Research continues to show that vaccinations decrease disease severity.³ I plan to dive further into this topic in another article.

2. Social Distance to Prevent Spreading COVID-19

Several studies have been done regarding the effectiveness of social distancing. As I'm sure you know by now, social distancing means you stay at least six feet away from other people.

A study completed in 2021 looked at a group of almost 200,000 individuals to see how effective social distancing was at decreasing the spread of COVID-19.⁴ It found that the communities with better social distancing had a 31% lower risk of COVID-19 compared to the communities with poor social distancing.

3. Wash Your Hands to Prevent Spreading COVID-19

Practicing good hand hygiene is a proven way to lower the risk of spreading diseases to others. We now know that viruses like COVID-19 can live for days to weeks on surfaces, and this includes our hands too. This is why washing your hands is one of the best ways to protect yourself and others from getting sick.. 

Here are some tips when it comes to washing your hands:

• Wash your hands often

• Wash with soap and water

• Make sure to lather the soap for at least 20 seconds before rinsing

• If you cannot wash your hands, use an alcohol-based hand sanitizer 

4. Wear A Mask To Help Keep Others From Getting Sick

I know what you’re thinking…yet another controversial topic. But I'm just going to go over some of the data I found on the benefits of wearing a face mask.

The same study that was mentioned above also looked at the effectiveness of wearing a face mask in the same group of people. The study found that those that consistently wear face masks around other people have a 62% reduced risk of getting COVID-19.⁴

Six additional studies across four countries also showed that wearing face masks greatly reduces the risk of getting COVID-19.⁵

One of those studies even looked at a group of healthcare workers. The study found that healthcare workers are 70% less likely to get COVID-19 when wearing face masks.

Here are some tips when it comes to wearing a mask:

• Wear a mask that covers your mouth and nose

• Make sure to mask in indoor public spaces and when you're in close contact with other people

• Make sure to wear a make is you have a weakened immune system, as this can put you at high risk of getting very ill from COVID-19

• Wear a mask and avoid contact with people if you're infected with the virus

5. Humidify Your Home To Protect Yourself and Others From Viruses Like COVID-19

As mentioned earlier, breathing in air that is low in humidity decreases some of the natural defense mechanisms we have in place to protect us against viruses that cause the flu, COVID-19, and many other infections.

Furthermore, data have shown that rooms humidified to about 45% relative humidity in the winter months has a lower presence of viruses in the air and on surfaces compared to rooms that are not humidified.¹

So get that humidifier out of storage. Your body will thank you.

Will COVID-19 Continue?

While we still have a lot to learn about COVID-19, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) and general scientific community have come a long way over the last two years. COVID-19 continues to be studied in order to help prevent infections and treat those who get infected.

COVID will likely continue to put a strain on hospitals and our healthcare system as a whole. If you are wondering what you can expect if you have to go to a hospital this winter, check out my article: “New Cases of COVID-19 and Hospital Capacity: What Will Happen This Year?”

Make sure to check out some of my other articles to keep getting up-to-date, evidence based information about health and wellness.

Stay informed, stay healthy.

References:

1. Seasonality of Respiratory Viral Infections -- (nih.gov)

2. Environmental Stability of SARS-CoV-2 on Different Types of Surfaces under Indoor and Seasonal Climate Conditions -- (nih.gov)

3. SARS-CoV-2 Variants, Vaccines, and Host Immunity -- (nih.gov)

4. Association of social distancing and face mask use with risk of COVID-19 -- (nih.gov)

5. Face masks to prevent transmission of COVID-19: A systematic review and meta-analysis -- (nih.gov)

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