Reflections on the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

There is an emerging understanding that the severity of viral infections is not only related to the nature of the viral vector, but also to various social and biological factors, a number of which can be modified. The recent COVID-19 pandemic raises the issue as to what approaches might be important in reducing the severity of future viral pandemics beyond that of the pursuit of specific immunization to the vector and the development of drugs to treat its unique mechanism of replication. There is now evidence that lifestyle and environmental factors can serve as immunoadjuvants. Personalized lifestyle and environmental factors may therefore play a significant role in determining both the infectivity and pathogenicity of viruses. Once identified, these factors lend themselves to specific personalized intervention. This intervention focuses on renewal of immune system function through diet, activity, fluid intake, sleep, intestinal microbiome composition, and stress management. As more is learned about the factors that influence the function of specific components of the immune system, it becomes more evident that these modifiable factors have significant impact on the individual response to a viral exposure.