RESUMEN
BACKGROUND: New Zealand's (NZ) complete absence of community transmission of influenza and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) after May 2020, likely due to COVID-19 elimination measures, provided a rare opportunity to assess the impact of border restrictions on common respiratory viral infections over the ensuing 2 years. METHODS: We collected the data from multiple surveillance systems, including hospital-based severe acute respiratory infection surveillance, SHIVERS-II, -III and -IV community cohorts for acute respiratory infection (ARI) surveillance, HealthStat sentinel general practice (GP) based influenza-like illness surveillance and SHIVERS-V sentinel GP-based ARI surveillance, SHIVERS-V traveller ARI surveillance and laboratory-based surveillance. We described the data on influenza, RSV and other respiratory viral infections in NZ before, during and after various stages of the COVID related border restrictions. RESULTS: We observed that border closure to most people, and mandatory government-managed isolation and quarantine on arrival for those allowed to enter, appeared to be effective in keeping influenza and RSV infections out of the NZ community. Border restrictions did not affect community transmission of other respiratory viruses such as rhinovirus and parainfluenza virus type-1. Partial border relaxations through quarantine-free travel with Australia and other countries were quickly followed by importation of RSV in 2021 and influenza in 2022. CONCLUSION: Our findings inform future pandemic preparedness and strategies to model and manage the impact of influenza and other respiratory viral threats.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19 , Gripe Humana , Infecciones por Virus Sincitial Respiratorio , Virus Sincitial Respiratorio Humano , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio , Virosis , Humanos , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , Gripe Humana/prevención & control , Nueva Zelanda/epidemiología , COVID-19/epidemiología , COVID-19/prevención & control , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/epidemiología , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/prevención & control , Infecciones por Virus Sincitial Respiratorio/epidemiologíaRESUMEN
Stringent nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as lockdowns and border closures are not currently recommended for pandemic influenza control. New Zealand used these NPIs to eliminate coronavirus disease 2019 during its first wave. Using multiple surveillance systems, we observed a parallel and unprecedented reduction of influenza and other respiratory viral infections in 2020. This finding supports the use of these NPIs for controlling pandemic influenza and other severe respiratory viral threats.
Asunto(s)
COVID-19/epidemiología , Gripe Humana/epidemiología , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/epidemiología , COVID-19/prevención & control , COVID-19/virología , Control de Enfermedades Transmisibles , Monitoreo Epidemiológico , Hospitalización/estadística & datos numéricos , Humanos , Gripe Humana/prevención & control , Gripe Humana/virología , Nueva Zelanda/epidemiología , Pandemias , Salud Pública , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/prevención & control , Infecciones del Sistema Respiratorio/virología , SARS-CoV-2/aislamiento & purificaciónRESUMEN
Stringent nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) such as lockdowns and border closures are not currently recommended for pandemic influenza control. New Zealand used these NPIs to eliminate coronavirus disease 2019 during its first wave. Using multiple surveillance systems, we observed a parallel and unprecedented reduction of influenza and other respiratory viral infections in 2020. This finding supports the use of these NPIs for controlling pandemic influenza and other severe respiratory viral threats.
