Reduced spread of influenza and other respiratory viral infections during the COVID-19 pandemic in southern Puerto Rico.

Quandelacy, Talia M; Adams, Laura E; Munoz, Jorge; Santiago, Gilberto A; Kada, Sarah; Johansson, Michael A; Alvarado, Luisa I; Rivera-Amill, Vanessa et al. · PLoS One · 2022

cross_sectional · Level IV

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Abstract

Impacts of COVID-19 mitigation measures on seasonal respiratory viruses is unknown in sub-tropical climates. We compared weekly testing and test-positivity of respiratory infections in the 2019-2020 respiratory season to the 2012-2018 seasons in southern Puerto Rico using Wilcoxon signed rank tests. Compared to the average for the 2012-2018 seasons, test-positivity was significantly lower for Influenza A (p<0.001) & B (p<0.001), respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) (p<0.01), respiratory adenovirus (AdV) (p<0.05), and other respiratory viruses (p<0.001) following March 2020 COVID-19 stay at home orders. Mitigation measures and behavioral social distancing choices may have reduced respiratory viral spread in southern Puerto Rico.

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