According to prof Bauld, the enforced social distancing measures throughout the pandemic have meant people have not been exposed to viruses that circulate every winter.
This could cause an explosion this winter that poses a ‘serious’ threat to the NHS, she warned.
“We did not see influenza or respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in the numbers”, prof Bauld explained, referring to the constant monitoring of the coronavirus.
But now the wholesale lifting of social restrictions has causes these multiple viruses to surge, she warned.