Written by Marie Ellis on May 2, 2021 — Fact checked by Alexandra Sanfins, Ph.D. The world is more than a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, so many people have been living with lockdown restrictions, quarantine periods, and physical distancing for an extended period of time. Hand sanitizer and masks are rife, and the common cold has not felt so common. But what will these lifestyle changes do to our health? How have lockdowns affected the immune systems of adults, children, and infants? Maskot/Getty Images In this article, we look at what effect living physically distanced from other people might have on the immune systems of adults, children, and infants born during the pandemic.