Slightly off-topic: Seasonality is something which has intrigued me for a few years now, especially since the covid pandemic, and I've been reading a lot into it.

There are plenty of papers out there which try to explain viral seasonality and just about all of them fall short in terms of really getting a grasp on why viruses tend to 'like' certain meteorological conditions.

I love this paragraph:

"The complex interplay of variables that results in a given virus having such a specific seasonal pattern made me think of the Drake equation. Formulated in 1961, the Drake equation was meant to spark dialogue over the possibility of alien life by taking into account a handful of factors, like the fraction of stars in our galaxy that might have planets and the average number of planets that could support life as we know it. The possibility of extraterrestrial life was not solely determined by one variable but rather by a succession of quantities that needed to be estimated. Likewise, the seasonality of viruses cannot be attributed uniquely to outside temperature, or indoor gatherings, or even shifting humidity levels throughout the year. It’s a result of how all of these factors and more play together with the unique characteristics of individual viruses. If anything, it’s a reminder of the extraordinary complexity of life."

Source: https://www.mcgill.ca/oss/article/covid-19-health/virus-ever...