Reducing Effects of Anti-Epidemic (Quarantine) Measures during the COVID-19 Pandemic on the Incidence and Spread of Airborne Infectious Diseases (Based on the Example of Varicella)

Abstract

Background. The coronavirus pandemic, also known as the COVID-19 pandemic, introduced significant changes in vital activities of the population and spread of airborne infectious diseases, the study of which enables ranking of preventive measures. The objective of our study was to assess the degree of influence of the lockdown and social distancing imposed in the Krasnodar Krai in 2020 due to the pandemic on the incidence of airborne communicable diseases based on the example of varicella. Materials and methods. We conducted a retrospective analysis of a 10-year incidence of varicella in the population of the Tuapse district, Krasnodar Krai using monthly and annual data on the incidence of infectious and parasitic diseases (Form No. 2) in the Tuapse district for 2011–2020 and the “Population Incidence” software, version 5, by applying standard techniques and methods of studying the epidemic process. Results. Stringent restrictive measures taken in the country in 2020 in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic caused a significant decrease (by 741 %) in the incidence of chickenpox among the population of the Tuapse district compared to the long-term average rate. In April – May and July – September 2020, varicella incidence rates were 30.98 and 7.75 per 100 thousand population or 7.4 and 18.8 times lower than the long-term average, respectively. The majority of chickenpox cases in the Tuapse district (as in the country as a whole) were pediatric – 94.02 % (RF – 94.3 %), with children aged 3 to 6 years making up 61 % of the total. Conclusion. The lockdown and social distancing imposed during the COVID-19 pandemic has a significant reducing effect on the incidence of airborne infectious diseases in the population in the absence of effective vaccination.