COVID-19 Restrictions Are Associated With a Significant Decrease of All Common Respiratory Viral Illnesses in Children

Abstract

To combat the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), significant measures were enacted including school and business closures, social distancing, and facial coverings. We hypothesized that this would have an impact on all respiratory infections in children. Using nasopharyngeal panel test results of children in the emergency department, we evaluated cross-sectional data from February to May in both 2019 and 2020. Respiratory panel testing included 11 common respiratory viruses and bacteria. After the restrictions were enacted, we observed a large drop in the number and percentage positive of all common respiratory viral infections in 2020 compared with the same time in 2019. When analyzing data from children <2 years old, a similar decrease was seen. Restrictions enacted to prevent the spread of COVID-19 were associated with a significant decrease in respiratory viral infections in children of all ages. This association could guide future public health recommendations and guidelines.

Analysis of respiratory virus detection in hospitalized children with acute respiratory infection during the COVID-19 pandemic in East China

“…It can effectively block the transmission of Flu. Nevertheless, at the beginning of the fall semester in September 2020, in the light of the Chinese domestic COVID-19 outbreak in remission, people generally went back to normal work and life in low-risk areas, like those prior to COVID-19; this may clarify the spike in PIV-3 infection in summer of 2020, consistent with relevant research results [21].…”

Temporal Trends in Pediatric Acute Sinusitis Surrounding the COVID‐19 Pandemic

“…This trend is paralleled in the literature with other viral illnesses; one study demonstrates a 35% decrease in positive nasopharyngeal respiratory panels among children in the United States between 2019 and late March 2020 and onward 12 . They note, however, that the number of positive tests in February and early March of 2020 closely paralleled the number of positive tests during the same weeks in 2019 but only dropped in late March 2020, when state and national restrictions were implemented 12 . Since acute sinusitis is a common sequala of viral illnesses, which are often spread via person‐to‐person contact, the increased isolation and masking mandates as a result of the national pandemic likely resulted in this decrease in acute sinusitis incidence.…”

“…However, this cyclic pattern of acute sinusitis began to deviate with a sharp decrease around March 2020, which coincided with the onset of the national pandemic and the stay‐at‐home mandates. This trend is paralleled in the literature with other viral illnesses; one study demonstrates a 35% decrease in positive nasopharyngeal respiratory panels among children in the United States between 2019 and late March 2020 and onward 12 . They note, however, that the number of positive tests in February and early March of 2020 closely paralleled the number of positive tests during the same weeks in 2019 but only dropped in late March 2020, when state and national restrictions were implemented 12 .…”

“…11 During the prepandemic period within our cohort, the incidence of acute sinusitis cases was observed to follow a similar seasonal pattern of clear peaks in the fall and winter months and troughs in the spring and summer months, with the rates of associated complications also following a when state and national restrictions were implemented. 12 Since acute sinusitis is a common sequala of viral illnesses, which are often spread via person-to-person contact, the increased isolation and masking mandates as a result of the national pandemic likely resulted in this decrease in acute sinusitis incidence. Additionally, it is possible that children who would have normally been diagnosed with acute sinusitis did not seek medical attention.…”

Difference in alcohol consumption in central and eastern Slovakia during a coronavirus pandemic (COVID-19)

“…Several governments introduced various restrictions on social life and contacts, resulting in quarantine, to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic (7,8). These restrictions included the closure of schools, kindergartens, and other facilities such as restaurants, cafes, and hairdressers, travel bans and border closures, the abolition of sporting and cultural events, even guidelines for social contacts (9,10).…”