Maryn McKennaDec 19, 2022
New from me at WIRED:
The UK is enduring an historic outbreak of scarlet fever, caused by group A strep infection. Cases *might* be rising in the US too; it's hard to know, because we haven't built the data systems that could tell us.
But if a wave of serious group A strep is coming, what might protect the US is greater awareness of the illness —caused, sadly, by the death of a NY teen 10 years ago.
https://www.wired.com/story/the-uk-is-enduring-an-onslaught-of-scarlet-fever-is-the-us-next/
The UK Is Enduring an Onslaught of Scarlet Fever. Is the US Next?

The US is more alert to the risks of strep infections, but the UK has better data. It’s not clear which makes more difference in controlling disease.

WIRED
Show threadGreengordonDec 19, 2022

@marynmck

This seemed a solid article until you claimed "immunity gap" was causing this surge. There is no such thing.

Show threadMaryn McKenna
@greengordon there is no such thing as "immunity debt," I agree; the Association of Health Care Journalists just posted a useful explainer as to why journalists should not use the term. But there has to be a way to explain the difference between the everyday exposures that children get living in the world, and the lesser amount of exposure that they had during masking and reduced social mixing. One of the experts I spoke to used "immunity gap" to describe this. I'm comfortable with it.
Dec 20, 2022 at 9:48pmWeb
Show threadGreengordonDec 20, 2022

@marynmck

Hi Maryn,

As I understand it from experts, not getting sick one year does not make one more likely to get sick or sicker the next year.

Show threadStrawberry🍓SabotageDec 21, 2022
@greengordon @marynmck yes, but there has to be something said for herd immunity, and the benefit gained from collective immunity that occurs with socialization. The likelihood of exposure increases when herd immunity is so low, especially when all protective measures are dropped so suddenly.
Show threadGreengordonDec 20, 2022

@marynmck

Good sources on immunity debt and gap:

@erictopol
@protect_bc