A recent study conducted in Germany has shed light on the impact of SARS-CoV-2 on acute respiratory infections (ARIs) during the winter of 2022-23. The research, published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, reveals that COVID-19 will pose a significant burden during cold and flu seasons.
The study was carried out through an online survey about ARIs sent to 70,000 registered participants in a digital health study in March 2023. With three years having passed since the start of the pandemic, many individuals in Germany and elsewhere were no longer regularly testing for COVID-19, leading to discrepancies in reporting official results.
Out of 37,708 participants who responded to the survey, 54,813 ARIs were reported. Among all tests conducted, 21% returned positive results. However, 45,455 ARIs did not result in a positive SARS-CoV-2 test, with 11,699 of those cases lacking a SARS-CoV-2 test altogether. This highlights the need for decision-makers to recognize and address this burden by implementing new strategies potentially focusing on vaccinations to reduce infection rates.
The study found that the highest incidence of all ARIs occurred in December 2022 with 26 infections per 100 people. Adults aged 30 to 39 experienced the highest cumulative incidence with 208 infections per 100 people over the seven months period. The authors emphasized that even without the emergence of new variants, an additional burden of ARIs must be considered especially when it comes to workforce implications.
While the risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infections may be lower due to population immunity, this research highlights that COVID-19 poses a significant threat during cold and flu seasons. It is crucial that decision makers take note of this burden and implement measures to mitigate its impact on public health and wellbeing.