<p>Lockdowns imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic had an impact on the gut microbiome development of babies born during these periods according to new research. Our gut microbiome, an ecosystem of microbes that live in our digestive tract, plays an essential role in human health. The study published in <em>Allergy</em> is the first to specifically explore the gut health of newborns in the pandemic. It revealed significant differences in the microbiome development of babies born during lockdown periods when compared to pre-pandemic babies.</p>