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by mrhands556 1624 days ago
What other respiratory virus in human history has caused chronic long term effects to the young and healthy?

Statistically we should be much more worried about something like RSV or the flu (even after vaccination).

2 comments

We do have knowledge about long-term effects from other coronaviruses (SARS-CoV-1 and MERS).

Despite its name, SARS-CoV-2 is not strictly a "respiratory virus". While it is spread airborne, it attacks multiple tissues besides the respiratory system, and causes multi-system dysfunction (including but not limited to MIS-C, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, acute kidney injury, erectile dysfunction, ...). Many of the damages are immune-mediated, which is in line with what we know about T1D and celiac as autoimmune disorders.

> What other respiratory virus in human history has caused chronic long term effects to the young and healthy?

Pneumonia.