The Collateral Benefit of COVID-19 Mitigation Strategies on Influenza.

Abstract

The ongoing COVID-19 pandemic initiated the implementation of numerous disease mitigation strategies aimed to prevent transmission of the SARS-CoV-2. Given the similarity in mode of transmission, we posit that these strategies have also had a collateral benefit in minimizing the transmission of influenza during the 2020 to 2021 season in California. Five years of data including incidence of influenza-like illness (ILI), influenza hospitalization, and mortality related to influenza in California were analyzed. In each of these parameters, there was a marked decrease in influenza activity, suggesting the additional benefit of COVID-19 mitigation strategies on influenza prevention. Further study is recommended to determine which specific variables had greater impact on transmission of respiratory viruses, and therefore can be utilized to prevent future outbreaks of respiratory illness.