Rhino’s Back!

Rhinoviruses are responsible for more than half of the common influenza-like illnesses.

If you have children just starting school, or you're a schoolteacher or a grandparent, then you're probably aware - rhinovirus is back. 

However, the UK mainstream media is more interested in rising numbers in the ONS Infection survey and covid positives in hospitals. 

Sky news reported‘‘COVID-19 cases rise in England and Wales for the first time in two months.’ The Guardian, not one for stirring things up, note the ‘UK’s autumn Covid wave could be worse than the last as cases rise,’ and Politico tells us the ‘first signs of new COVID-19 wave seen in colder countries,’ as cases in Belgium and Denmark are also on the rise. 

The media’s fixation with covid means the other respiratory agents are often overlooked. This is precisely what happened with influenza for four decades - there’s no other show in town - except for mother nature. However,  the UK’s National flu and COVID-19 surveillance reports provide useful surveillance data to inform the circulation of other viruses. 

In week 38, the…