The winter dilemma

As summer in the northern hemisphere comes to an end, changes in daylight, temperature, and weather -- and people's reaction to them -- will be the drivers of a disadvantageous seasonality of SARS-CoV-2. With the seasonal odds against us, stabilization of new COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations requires high immunity levels in the population or sufficient non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs). However, compliance with mandatory NPIs, vaccine uptake, and individual protective measures depend on individual opinions and decisions. This in turn depends on the individuals' communication network, as well as access to and personal consumption of information, e.g., about vaccine safety or current infection levels. Therefore, understanding how individual protection-seeking behavior affects disease spread is crucial to prepare for the upcoming winter and future challenges.