Where have all the viruses gone? Disappearance of seasonal respiratory viruses during the COVID‐19 pandemic

Tang, Julian W.; Bialasiewicz, Seweryn; Dwyer, Dominic E.; Dilcher, Meik; Tellier, Raymond; Taylor, Janette; Hua, Harry; Jennings, Lance; Kok, Jen; Levy, Avram; Smith, David; Barr, Ian G.; Sullivan, Sheena G.

Many viruses cause seasonal respiratory infections in temperate climates that peak in the winter months. They cause varying degrees of respiratory illness across all age groups, and include respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), parainfluenza viruses (types 1-4), human metapneumovirus, rhinoviruses, seasonal coronaviruses (OC43, 229E, NL63, HKU1), enteroviruses, adenoviruses and influenza viruses. This results in a significant healthcare burden across all populations with now well-established seasonality patterns. We now have good evidence that the spread of most seasonal respiratory viruses has been severely curtailed in Australia, New Zealand, and other Southern hemisphere populations including Chile and South Africa, believed to be attributable to the COVID-19 restrictions. A similar pattern is now being observed in the UK and Europe with minimal influenza and RSV activity during the 2020/21 northern hemisphere winter season, and most influenza-like illness (ILI) consultations being COVID-19-related. This article offers some additional data and a possible explanation on this phenomenon This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.