The impact of the COVID-19 preventive measures on influenza transmission: molecular and epidemiological evidence.

ABSTRACT:

Objective

We quantify the impact of COVID-19-related control measures on the spread of human influenza virus H1N1 and H3N2.

Methods

We analyzed case numbers to estimate the end of the 2019-2020 influenza season and compared it with the median of the previous 9 seasons. In addition, we used influenza molecular data to compare within-region and between-region genetic diversity and effective population size from 2019 to 2020. Finally, we analyzed personal behavior and policy stringency data for each region.

Results

The 2019-2020 influenza season ended earlier than the median of the previous 9 seasons in all regions. For H1N1 and H3N2, there was an increase in between-region genetic diversity in most pairs of regions between 2019 and 2020. There was a decrease in within-r

SUBMITTER: Tran LK 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8662913 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature