With the reopening in phases in late 2020, some respiratory viruses gradually returned, though not really at pre-pandemic ranges, since mask-wearing in public continued.
Amid concerns about the Delta plus Omicron variant waves in the second 1 / 2 of 2021 and earlier months of 2022, healthcare professionals noticed non-COVID respiratory illness levels drop once again after response procedures were tightened plus subsequently come up when eased. Similar effects were seen overseas . Also, the usual flu seasons were lacking.
RETURN OF YEARS AS A CHILD RESPIRATORY VIRUSES NOT SURPRISING
The particular return of respiratory system viruses is not amazing to healthcare experts.
The first ones to return, in late 2020, were the rhinoviruses and enteroviruses which usually cause mild common colds. Then, early 2021 saw a reappearance of the respiratory syncytial disease (RSV) and some parainfluenza viruses, both of which may cause more serious illness in young children, like bronchiolitis or croup, which has a distinctive woofing cough.
What exactly is surprising is the unusual pattern of activity of viruses that usually have a predictable seasonality.
In Australia, america and Europe, waves of RSV infections were recorded outside of the traditional winter months. A number of countries, at some point, reported that RSV waves were stretching the capacity of children’s private hospitals that were already pressurized from COVID-19.