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Trends in respiratory virus circulation following COVID-19-targeted nonpharmaceutical interventions in Germany, January - September 2020: Analysis of national surveillance data.
Oh, Djin-Ye; Buda, Silke; Biere, Barbara; Reiche, Janine; Schlosser, Frank; Duwe, Susanne; Wedde, Marianne; von Kleist, Max; Mielke, Martin; Wolff, Thorsten; Dürrwald, Ralf.
  • Oh DY; Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses | German National Influenza Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
  • Buda S; The Rockefeller University, New York, NY, United States.
  • Biere B; Department of Infectious Diseases Epidemiology, Robert-Koch Institute, Germany.
  • Reiche J; Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses | German National Influenza Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
  • Schlosser F; Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses | German National Influenza Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
  • Duwe S; Computational Epidemiology (P4), Robert Koch-Institute, Germany.
  • Wedde M; Institute for Theoretical Biology, Humboldt University of Berlin, D-10115 Berlin, Germany.
  • von Kleist M; Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses | German National Influenza Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
  • Mielke M; Unit 17: Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses | German National Influenza Center, Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, D-13353 Berlin, Germany.
  • Wolff T; Systems Medicine of Infectious Disease (P5), Robert Koch-Institute, Germany.
  • Dürrwald R; Department of Infectious Diseases, Robert Koch-Institute, Germany.
Lancet Reg Health Eur ; 6: 100112, 2021 Jul.
Article in English | MEDLINE | ID: covidwho-1260816
ABSTRACT

BACKGROUND:

During the initial COVID-19 response, Germany's Federal Government implemented several nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) that were instrumental in suppressing early exponential spread of SARS-CoV-2. NPI effect on the transmission of other respiratory viruses has not been examined at the national level thus far.

METHODS:

Upper respiratory tract specimens from 3580 patients with acute respiratory infection (ARI), collected within the nationwide German ARI Sentinel, underwent RT-PCR diagnostics for multiple respiratory viruses. The observation period (weeks 1-38 of 2020) included the time before, during and after a far-reaching contact ban. Detection rates for different viruses were compared to 2017-2019 sentinel data (15350 samples; week 1-38, 11823 samples).

FINDINGS:

The March 2020 contact ban, which was followed by a mask mandate, was associated with an unprecedented and sustained decline of multiple respiratory viruses. Among these, rhinovirus was the single agent that resurged to levels equalling those of previous years. Rhinovirus rebound was first observed in children, after schools and daycares had reopened. By contrast, other nonenveloped viruses (i.e. gastroenteritis viruses reported at the national level) suppressed after the shutdown did not rebound.

INTERPRETATION:

Contact restrictions with a subsequent mask mandate in spring may substantially reduce respiratory virus circulation. This reduction appears sustained for most viruses, indicating that the activity of influenza and other respiratory viruses during the subsequent winter season might be low,whereas rhinovirus resurgence, potentially driven by transmission in educational institutions in a setting of waning population immunity, might signal predominance of rhinovirus-related ARIs.

FUNDING:

Robert Koch-Institute and German Ministry of Health.
Keywords

Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Language: English Journal: Lancet Reg Health Eur Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.lanepe.2021.100112

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Full text: Available Collection: International databases Database: MEDLINE Type of study: Experimental Studies / Observational study / Prognostic study Language: English Journal: Lancet Reg Health Eur Year: 2021 Document Type: Article Affiliation country: J.lanepe.2021.100112