Abrupt termination of the 2019/20 influenza season following preventive measures against COVID-19 in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.
Euro Surveill
; 26(22)2021 06.
Article
in English
| MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1259313
ABSTRACT
BackgroundIn mid-March 2020, a range of public health and social measures (PHSM) against the then new coronavirus disease (COVID-19) were implemented in Denmark, Norway and Sweden.AimWe analysed the development of influenza cases during the implementation of PHSM against SARS-CoV-2 in the Scandinavian countries.MethodBased on the established national laboratory surveillance of influenza, we compared the number of human influenza cases in the weeks immediately before and after the implementation of SARS-CoV-2 PHSM by country. The 2019/20 influenza season was compared with the five previous seasons.ResultsA dramatic reduction in influenza cases was seen in all three countries, with only a 3- to 6-week duration from the peak of weekly influenza cases until the percentage dropped below 1%. In contrast, in the previous nine influenza seasons, the decline from the seasonal peak to below 1% of influenza-positive samples took more than 10 weeks.ConclusionsThe PHSM against SARS-CoV-2 were followed by a dramatic reduction in influenza cases, indicating a wider public health effect of the implemented measures.
Keywords
Full text:
Available
Collection:
International databases
Database:
MEDLINE
Main subject:
Influenza, Human
/
COVID-19
Type of study:
Experimental Studies
/
Observational study
Limits:
Humans
Country/Region as subject:
Europa
Language:
English
Journal subject:
Communicable Diseases
Year:
2021
Document Type:
Article
Affiliation country:
1560-7917.ES.2021.26.22.2001160
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