Impact of Public Health Interventions on Seasonal Influenza Activity During the COVID-19 Outbreak in Korea

  • Hyunju Lee
    Department of Pediatrics, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
  • Heeyoung Lee
    Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Kyoung-Ho Song
    Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Eu Suk Kim
    Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Jeong Su Park
    Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Jongtak Jung
    Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea
  • Soyeon Ahn
    Department of Medical Research Collaborating Center, Seoul National University Bundang Hospital, Seongnam, Republic of Korea
  • Eun Kyeong Jeong
    Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
  • Hyekyung Park
    Korea Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Cheongju, Republic of Korea
  • Hong Bin Kim
    Seoul National University College of Medicine, Seoul, Republic of Korea

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<jats:title>Abstract</jats:title> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Background</jats:title> <jats:p>Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) was introduced in Korea early with a large outbreak in mid-February. We reviewed the public health interventions used during the COVID-19 outbreak and describe the impact on seasonal influenza activity in Korea.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Methods</jats:title> <jats:p>National response strategies, public health interventions and daily COVID-19–confirmed cases in Korea were reviewed during the pandemic. National influenza surveillance data were compared between 7 sequential seasons. Characteristics of each season, including rate of influenza-like illness (ILI), duration of epidemic, date of termination of epidemic, distribution of influenza virus strain, and hospitalization, were analyzed.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Results</jats:title> <jats:p>After various public health interventions including enforced public education on hand hygiene, cough etiquette, staying at home with respiratory symptoms, universal mask use in public places, refrain from nonessential social activities, and school closures the duration of the influenza epidemic in 2019/2020 decreased by 6–12 weeks and the influenza activity peak rated 49.8 ILIs/1000 visits compared to 71.9–86.2 ILIs/1000 visits in previous seasons. During the period of enforced social distancing from weeks 9–17 of 2020, influenza hospitalization cases were 11.9–26.9-fold lower compared with previous seasons. During the 2019/2020 season, influenza B accounted for only 4%, in contrast to previous seasons in which influenza B accounted for 26.6–54.9% of all cases.</jats:p> </jats:sec> <jats:sec> <jats:title>Conclusions</jats:title> <jats:p>Efforts to activate a high-level national response not only led to a decrease in COVID-19 but also a substantial decrease in seasonal influenza activity. Interventions applied to control COVID-19 may serve as useful strategies for prevention and control of influenza in upcoming seasons.</jats:p> </jats:sec>

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