Skip to main content
Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection logoLink to Oxford University Press - PMC COVID-19 Collection
. 2020 Sep 28:ciaa1475. doi: 10.1093/cid/ciaa1475

The impact of COVID-19 public health measures on detections of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus in children during the 2020 Australian winter

Daniel K Yeoh 1,2,#,, David A Foley 1,#, Cara A Minney-Smith 3, Andrew C Martin 4, Ariel O Mace 4,5,7, Chisha T Sikazwe 3,6, Huong Le 7, Avram Levy 3,6, Christopher C Blyth 1,3,7,8, Hannah C Moore 7
PMCID: PMC7543326  PMID: 32986804

Abstract

Public health measures during the COVID-19 pandemic have potential to impact transmission of other respiratory viruses. We found 98.0% and 99.4% reductions in RSV and influenza detections respectively in Western Australian children through winter 2020; despite reopening of schools. Border closures have likely been important in limiting introductions from abroad.

Keywords: influenza, RSV, COVID-19, southern hemisphere, children


Articles from Clinical Infectious Diseases: An Official Publication of the Infectious Diseases Society of America are provided here courtesy of Oxford University Press

RESOURCES