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Impact of COVID-19 and Nonpharmaceutical Interventions on Common Respiratory Viruses in Children: A 5-Year Study in
Jianming Zhou1, Yanhong Sun2, Hao Shen1
1Department of Clinical Laboratory, Children's Hospital, Zhejiang University School of Medicine, National Clinical Research Center for Child Health, Hangzhou, China.
Insights
Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) significantly reduced common respiratory virus infections in children during COVID-19. Lifting NPIs led to a notable increase in viral infection rates, especially for Influenza A.
Area of Science:
- Pediatric infectious diseases
- Epidemiology
- Public Health
Background:
- Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) were implemented to curb the spread of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2).
- These interventions also impacted the transmission dynamics of common respiratory viruses in pediatric populations.
Purpose of the Study:
- To analyze the impact of NPIs on the incidence of common respiratory viruses in children.
- To evaluate changes in viral infection rates before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic.
Main Methods:
- Retrospective analysis of respiratory tract infection samples from children (January 2019-December 2023).
- Detection of Adenovirus (ADV), Influenza A (Flu A), Influenza B (Flu B), and Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV).
- Statistical analysis using R software to compare infection rates across different periods.
Main Results:
- Over 684,000 samples were analyzed, with a 31.19% overall positive rate for respiratory viruses.
- Influenza A was the most prevalent virus (49.86% of positive cases).
- Viral detection rates were lower during the NPI period (2020-2022) compared to pre-pandemic (2019) and post-NPI (2023) periods.
Conclusions:
- NPIs demonstrated effectiveness in reducing the transmission of common respiratory viruses among children.
- The cessation of NPIs correlated with an increased rate of viral infections in children, particularly Influenza A.
Background:
Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) not only curbed the spread of novel coronavirus (COVID-19) but also affected common respiratory viruses infected by children.
Methods:
Samples of children diagnosed with respiratory tract infection in Children's Hospital affiliated with Zhejiang University from January 2019 to December 2023 were collected, and ADV, Flu A, Flu B, and RSV were detected. Statistical analysis was carried out with R software.
Results:
From January 2019 to December 2023, a total of 684,413 samples were tested, including 369,620 males, accounting for 54.01%, and 314,793 females, accounting for 45.99%. Among them, there were 213,443 positive samples (31.19%), of which 40,484 ADV-positive samples (18.97%), 106,423 Flu A-positive samples (49.86%), 32,379 Flu B-positive samples (15.17%), 30,776 RSV-positive samples (14.42%), and 3,381 mixed infection samples (1.58%). Among children of different ages in Hangzhou before, during and after COVID-19, the highest total detection rate of respiratory virus was 4-6 years old (accounting for 36.69%), followed by >7 years old (accounting for 35.10%). The distribution in different seasons shows that the number of children infected with respiratory viruses reaches a peak in winter and spring. Compared with 2019 (33.20%) before the COVID-19 epidemic, the total detection rate of common respiratory viruses in children was lower during the COVID-19 pandemic (24.54% in 2020-2022), and it was increased in 2023 after NPIs were cancelled (accounting for 35.20%).
Conclusion:
NPI measures can effectively reduce the spread of common respiratory viruses, Lifting of NPIs can lead children to an increase viral infection rate, particularly in Flu A.
