Cut back on excessive sanitizing to save ‘good germs’ as pandemic eases, says scientist

More than a year ago when people knew nothing about how COVID-19 spread, was in overdrive. That meant wiping down everything, and even disinfecting groceries. That resulted in killing certain microbes and bacteria that protect the human body.

From birth, humans coexist with bacteria, fungi, and viruses, and each has a different biological function, says Brett Finlay, microbiologist and immunologist at the University of British Columbia. He says they’re involved with how the brain plus intestinal and immune systems develop.

“We've all been living in these cocoons last year, and we're not getting normal microbe exposure. A new kid born into this world, yeah they might not get a cold, but they're not getting all the other microbes that they normally also get if they went to daycare and things. … You're just not getting exposure to the normal microbes.”