Delayed respiratory syncytial virus epidemic in children after relaxation of COVID-19 physical distancing measures, Ashdod, Israel, 2021

Euro Surveill. 2021 Jul;26(29). doi: 10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.29.2100706.ABSTRACTFollowing low incidence of respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infections in 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic, we noted a resurgence in hospitalised children in spring/summer 2021 following relaxation of public health measures. We compared this outbreak to previous autumn/winter seasons. We found higher weekly case numbers and incidence rates, more cases from urban neighbourhoods with lower socioeconomic status, and similar clinical presentation and severity. Public health implications include the re-evaluation of palivizumab administration and the need for surge capacity planning.PMID:34296678 | DOI:10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.29.2100706

Source: Euro Surveill - July 23, 2021 Category: Infectious Diseases Authors: Moran Weinberger Opek Yonatan Yeshayahu Aharona Glatman-Freedman Zalman Kaufman Nadav Sorek Tal Brosh-Nissimov Source Type: research