Commentary: Expect more paediatric respiratory illnesses to make a post-pandemic comeback

With the reopening in phases in late 2020, some respiratory viruses gradually returned, though not at pre-pandemic levels, since mask-wearing in public continued.

Amid concerns about the Delta and Omicron variant waves in the second half of 2021 and early months of 2022, healthcare professionals saw non-COVID respiratory illness levels drop again after response measures were tightened and subsequently come up when eased. Similar effects were seen overseas. Also, the usual flu seasons were absent.

RETURN OF CHILDHOOD RESPIRATORY VIRUSES NOT SURPRISING

The return of respiratory viruses is not surprising to healthcare experts.

The first ones to return, in late 2020, were the rhinoviruses and enteroviruses which usually cause mild common colds. Then, early 2021 saw a reappearance of the respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and some parainfluenza viruses, both of which may cause more serious illness in young children, such as bronchiolitis or croup, which has a distinctive barking cough.

What is surprising is the unusual pattern of activity of viruses that usually have a predictable seasonality.

In Australia, the United States and Europe, waves of RSV infections were recorded outside the traditional winter months. Several countries, at some point, reported that RSV waves were stretching the capacity of children’s hospitals that were already under pressure from COVID-19.