COVID-19 public health measures and respiratory syncytial virus

Impact of the COVID-19 nonpharmaceutical interventions on influenza and other respiratory viral infections in New Zealand

“…Stringent NPIs may contribute to the significant reduction of all other non-influenza respiratory viral infections, including RSV, hMPV, PIV1–3, adenovirus, enterovirus and rhinovirus. Unlike the report from the Sydney Children’s Hospital Network 18 where an increase in RSV detections occurred at the tail end of the winter season, NZ did not see any increase in RSV detections during the whole 2020 winter season. When the NPIs were relaxed after lockdown, the incidence of rhinovirus increased rapidly, a trend not seen with these other viruses.…”

COVID-19 and Infant Hospitalizations for Seasonal Respiratory Virus Infections, New Zealand, 2020

“…Our findings are supported by the informative comparison of data across 6 years, during which time the clinician-directed investigation of infants with respiratory infections has remained consistent. Although these preliminary single-center findings need confirmation over a complete year and with national-level surveillance data, they closely align with emerging reports from Alaska, Australia, and Finland ( 5 , 8 , 9 ).…”

Impact of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) Pandemic on Pediatric Infectious Disease Research

“…Several reports have shown that the incidence of specific pathogen infections such as influenza viruses, respiratory syncytial virus, meningococcus, and pneumococcus was reduced in many countries. 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 Australia reported a concurrent lower frequency of respiratory syncytial virus detection and admission to hospital for bronchiolitis in 2020 as compared with preceding years. 19 In this country, despite schools reopening, a 99.4% reduction was reported in influenza detection following Australian public health measures.…”

“… 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 Australia reported a concurrent lower frequency of respiratory syncytial virus detection and admission to hospital for bronchiolitis in 2020 as compared with preceding years. 19 In this country, despite schools reopening, a 99.4% reduction was reported in influenza detection following Australian public health measures. 21 Influenza data reported to the World Health Organization's FluNet platform from 3 Southern Hemisphere areas (Oceania, South America, and Southern Africa) showed very low influenza activity during June to August 2020.…”

“… 18 These data suggest that the epidemiology of these infectious diseases may change in an unpredictable manner in the coming months and years, requiring close and active surveillance. 18 , 19 , 20 , 21 …”