Global analysis of respiratory viral circulation and timing of epidemics in the pre-COVID-19 and COVID-19 pandemic eras, based on data from the Global Influenza Surveillance and Response System (GISRS)

The emergence of the COVID-19 pandemic, caused by SARS-CoV-2, has undeniably reshaped life on a global scale. As infection rates and fatalities surged to historic proportions, initial strategies to combat the crisis revolved around non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as the use of facemasks, physical distancing, travel bans, and lockdowns, considering the absence of available vaccines or targeted therapeutics. Characterized by a spectrum of actions spanning individual precautions to broader societal measures, NPIs aimed to curtail the rapid dissemination of the virus [1].
Source: International Journal of Infectious Diseases - Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Source Type: research