#16,078
Over the past couple of months we've seen then concurrent rise in non-COVID respiratory infections in several countries as they have eased their face mask requirements, and relaxed social distancing rules, leading to a number of warnings over summer outbreaks of RSV (Respiratory Syncytial Virus).
In June, in CDC HAN: Increased RSV Reports Across The Southern United States, we looked at an unusual off-season surge in RSV across parts of the US after more than a year without appreciable non-COVID respiratory illness.
Over the past month we've seen similar outbreaks in New Zealand, and Denmark (see SSI: Denmark Also Reporting A Summer Surge In RSV), and only a little over a week ago we looked at a report from the UK Academy Of Medical Sciences: Looking Ahead To COVID-19 Over Winter 2021/22 & Beyond) which warns of a potentially more `complicated' winter respiratory season ahead.
The almost complete absence of non-COVID respiratory viruses over the past 18 months has been a mixed blessing. It has made the detection of COVID cases easier and reduced the burden on healthcare systems - but at the same time it allowed community immunity to these viruses to wane.
Today the UK's PHE has issued their own warning to parents, as the number of out-of-season RSV cases has risen sharply over the past few weeks.
Health chiefs issue warning as childhood respiratory infections rise ahead of winter
Respiratory infections in young children have begun to rise out of season, following low infection levels in response to COVID-19 restrictions and good infection control measures that have been in place.
Published 23 July 2021
From:Public Health England
- Parents are being encouraged to look out for symptoms of severe infection in at-risk children, including a high temperature of 37.8°C or above (fever), a dry and persistent cough, difficulty feeding, rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing).
- The NHS is preparing for a rise in children needing treatment.
Health chiefs in England are encouraging parents to be aware of the signs of respiratory illnesses in young children, as data from Public Health England (PHE) shows cases are starting to rise in parts of the country.
- Through the Respiratory DataMart surveillance system, positivity of samples tested for RSV has increased over the last 5 consecutive weeks and now stands at 8.9%.
Respiratory illnesses, including colds and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) are very common in young children and we see them every year.
Last winter, due to the various restrictions in place to reduce the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), there were far fewer infections in younger people. This means many will not have developed immunity and so we may see more cases this year than in a typical season. For the majority of children, these illnesses will not be serious and they will soon recover following rest and plenty of fluids.
RSV is a very common virus and almost all children are infected with it by the time they are 2 years old. In older children and adults, RSV may cause a cough or cold.
However, some children under 2, especially those born prematurely or with a heart condition, can suffer more serious consequences from these common infections such as bronchiolitis, an inflammatory infection of the lower airways – which can make it hard to breathe.
The early symptoms of bronchiolitis are similar to those of a common cold but can develop over a few days into a high temperature of 37.8°C or above (fever), a dry and persistent cough, difficulty feeding, rapid or noisy breathing (wheezing).
Most cases of bronchiolitis are not serious and clear up within 2 to 3 weeks, but you should contact your GP or call NHS 111 if:Dial 999 for an ambulance if:
- you are worried about your child
- your child has taken less than half their usual amount during the last 2 or 3 feeds, or they have had a dry nappy for 12 hours or more
- your child has a persistent high temperature of 37.8C or above
- your child seems very tired or irritable
While still at low numbers, respiratory infections in young children are expected to rise this summer and as we go into the winter months.
- your baby is having difficulty breathing
- your baby’s tongue or lips are blue
- there are long pauses in your baby’s breathing
(Continue . . . )
While we've discussed the potential for seeing a `twindemic' of COVID and influenza (and other respiratory viruses) a number of times over the past year (see June 2020's COVID-19, The Next Flu Season, And The Temporary Immunity Hypothesis) - so far, between `viral interference' and the public's use of NPIs - it hasn't come to pass.
But with more people discarding their facemasks, and countries continuing to lower their non-pharmaceutical pandemic defenses - the risks of seeing a bad winter respiratory season on top of COVID this fall increases.
While there is not a lot of data available on COVID-Influenza coinfections, what we have seen (see PHE Study: Co-Infection With COVID-19 & Seasonal Influenza) suggests that being infected with both viruses greatly increases the risk of severe disease, and even death.
Making the potential return of influenza while COVID is still circulating more than just of academic interest.
