Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe

Mary A Sinnathamby; Margaux M  I Meslé; Piers Mook; Richard Pebody; Silvia Bino; Iris Hasibra; Nune Bakunts; Romella Abovyan; Evgenia Khachtryan; Monika Redlberger-Fritz; Nazifa Mursalova; Firuza Aliyeva; Veronika Vysotskaya; Natallia Shmialiova; Inna Karaban; Nathalie Bossuyt; Cyril Barbezange; Sanja Musa; Nina Rodić Vukmir; Amela Dedeić Ljubović; Dijana Baštinac; Nadezhda Vladimirov; Neli Korsun; Ivelina Trifonova; Irena Tabain; Goranka Petrović; Christos Karagiannis; Christos Haralambous; Helena Jirincova; Jan Kyncl; Ramona Trebbien; Lasse Skafte Vestergaard; Olga Sadikova; Irina Eero; Eliisa Metsoja; Niina Ikonen; Outi Lyytikäinen; Hanna Nohynek; Lucie Fournier; Caroline Guerrisi; Martine Valette; Ani Machablishvili; Silke Buda; Ralf Dürrwald; Georgia Gioula; Emmanouil Mary; Kassiani Mellou; Mónika Rózsa; Zsuzsanna Molnár; Brynja Armannsdottir; Guðrún Aspelund; Joan O’Donnell; Lisa Domegan; Jeff Connell; Michal Mandelboim; Aharona Glatman-Freedman; Simona Puzelli; Anna Teresa Palamara; Francesco Maraglino; Smagulova Meiramgul Kanapiyanovna Smagulova; Aidar Sharipkhanuly Userbayev; Ariana Kalaveshi; Xhevat Jakupi; Zana Kaçaniku Gunga; D. S. Otorbaeva; S. Zh Abdyldaeva; G. M. Esengeldiev; Darja Vasiļevska; Kate Karolīna Tomašūna; Oksana Savicka; Greta Gargasiene; Svajune Muralyte; Trung Nguyen Nguyen; Joel Mossong; Tamir T. Abdelrahman; Tanya Melillo; Graziella Zahra; Jackie Melillo; Bozidarka Rakocevic; Zeljka Zekovic; Sanja Medenica; Marit de Lange; Adam Meijer; Dragan Kochinski; Golubinka Boshevska; Trinehessevik Paulsen; Karoline Bragstad; Lidia B. Brydak; Ewelina Hallmann; Karol Szymański; Ana Paula Rodrigues; Nuno Verdasca; Raquel Guiomar; Alina Druc; Mariana Apostol; Rodica Popescu; Odette Popovici; Mihaela Lazar; Andrey B. Komissarov; Artem Fadeev; Kirill Stolyarov; Jelena Protic; Mária Avdičová; Adriana Mečochová; Edita Staroňová; Maja Sočan; Katarina Prosenc; Nataša Berginc; Amparo Larrauri; Clara Mazagatos; Francisco Pozo; Emma Appelqvist; Anna Sara Carnahan; Ana Rita Goncalves Cabecinhas; Tania Spedaliero; Navaruz Jafarov; Tamanno Safarova; Barno Barotova; Tatyana Kovalchuk; Ayse Basak Altas; Emine Avci; Betul Ozdemir; Gurbangul Ovliyakulova; Tetiana Dykhanovska; Iryna Demchyshyna; Oksana Koshako; Conall Watson; Maria Zambon; Anissa Lakhani; Samantha Shepherd; Declan T. Bradley; Tanya Curran; Catherine Moore; Simon Cottrell; Lyudmila Kudasheva; Sultan Djemileva; Boris Pleshkov

doi:10.1111/irv.13297

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe

Mary A Sinnathamby, Margaux M I Meslé, Piers Mook^*, Richard Pebody, Silvia Bino, Iris Hasibra, Nune Bakunts, Romella Abovyan, Evgenia Khachtryan, Monika Redlberger-Fritz, Nazifa Mursalova, Firuza Aliyeva, Veronika Vysotskaya, Natallia Shmialiova, Inna Karaban, Nathalie Bossuyt, Cyril Barbezange, Sanja Musa, Nina Rodić Vukmir, Amela Dedeić LjubovićDijana Baštinac, Nadezhda Vladimirov, Neli Korsun, Ivelina Trifonova, Irena Tabain, Goranka Petrović, Christos Karagiannis, Christos Haralambous, Helena Jirincova, Jan Kyncl, Ramona Trebbien, Lasse Skafte Vestergaard, Olga Sadikova, Irina Eero, Eliisa Metsoja, Niina Ikonen, Outi Lyytikäinen, Hanna Nohynek, Lucie Fournier, Caroline Guerrisi, Martine Valette, Ani Machablishvili, Silke Buda, Ralf Dürrwald, Georgia Gioula, Emmanouil Mary, Kassiani Mellou, Mónika Rózsa, Zsuzsanna Molnár, Brynja Armannsdottir, Guðrún Aspelund, Joan O’Donnell, Lisa Domegan, Jeff Connell, Michal Mandelboim, Aharona Glatman-Freedman, Simona Puzelli, Anna Teresa Palamara, Francesco Maraglino, Smagulova Meiramgul Kanapiyanovna Smagulova, Aidar Sharipkhanuly Userbayev, Ariana Kalaveshi, Xhevat Jakupi, Zana Kaçaniku Gunga, D. S. Otorbaeva, S. Zh Abdyldaeva, G. M. Esengeldiev, Darja Vasiļevska, Kate Karolīna Tomašūna, Oksana Savicka, Greta Gargasiene, Svajune Muralyte, Trung Nguyen Nguyen, Joel Mossong, Tamir T. Abdelrahman, Tanya Melillo, Graziella Zahra, Jackie Melillo, Bozidarka Rakocevic, Zeljka Zekovic, Sanja Medenica, Marit de Lange, Adam Meijer, Dragan Kochinski, Golubinka Boshevska, Trinehessevik Paulsen, Karoline Bragstad, Lidia B. Brydak, Ewelina Hallmann, Karol Szymański, Ana Paula Rodrigues, Nuno Verdasca, Raquel Guiomar, Alina Druc, Mariana Apostol, Rodica Popescu, Odette Popovici, Mihaela Lazar, Andrey B. Komissarov, Artem Fadeev, Kirill Stolyarov, Jelena Protic, Mária Avdičová, Adriana Mečochová, Edita Staroňová, Maja Sočan, Katarina Prosenc, Nataša Berginc, Amparo Larrauri, Clara Mazagatos, Francisco Pozo, Emma Appelqvist, Anna Sara Carnahan, Ana Rita Goncalves Cabecinhas, Tania Spedaliero, Navaruz Jafarov, Tamanno Safarova, Barno Barotova, Tatyana Kovalchuk, Ayse Basak Altas, Emine Avci, Betul Ozdemir, Gurbangul Ovliyakulova, Tetiana Dykhanovska, Iryna Demchyshyna, Oksana Koshako, Conall Watson, Maria Zambon, Anissa Lakhani, Samantha Shepherd, Declan T. Bradley, Tanya Curran, Catherine Moore, Simon Cottrell, Lyudmila Kudasheva, Sultan Djemileva, Boris Pleshkov

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

Background: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 saw the implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) by countries across Europe to reduce its transmission and impact on populations. Consequently, countries reported changes in influenza circulation and extensive disruptions to routine surveillance systems. Methods: We describe the epidemiology of influenza in Europe between Weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022 compared to the 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and PHSM on surveillance systems and influenza circulation. Results: Low detections of influenza were observed through primary care sentinel sources during seasonal influenza periods (Week 40 to 20); 56 (of 39,457 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) in 2020/21 and 7261 (of 64,153 specimens tested; 11% positivity) detections in 2021/22 were observed, compared to an average of 18,383 (of 50,544 specimens tested; 36% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. Similarly, 11 (of 19,989 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) and 1488 (of 23,636 specimens tested; 6% positivity) detections were reported through SARI surveillance sources in 2020/21 and 2021/22, respectively, compared to an average of 2850 (of 10,389 specimens tested; 27% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. However, the 2021/22 interseasonal period saw unusual increases in influenza detections across surveillance site types when PHSM were easing. Conclusion: In conclusion, findings suggest that the restriction and easing of PHSM measures were associated with variations in influenza detections. Our observations of out-of-season influenza activity highlight the importance of an integrated respiratory surveillance strategy to monitor circulating respiratory viruses throughout the year to inform optimal prevention and control strategies.

Original language	English
Article number	e13297
Journal	Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses
Volume	18
Issue number	5
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.13297
State	Published - May 2024
Externally published	Yes

Keywords

COVID-19 pandemic
Europe
epidemiology
influenza
non-sentinel
sentinel
severity
surveillance

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

Access to Document

10.1111/irv.13297

Cite this

Sinnathamby, MA., Meslé, MM. I., Mook, P., Pebody, R., Bino, S., Hasibra, I., Bakunts, N., Abovyan, R., Khachtryan, E., Redlberger-Fritz, M., Mursalova, N., Aliyeva, F., Vysotskaya, V., Shmialiova, N., Karaban, I., Bossuyt, N., Barbezange, C., Musa, S., Vukmir, N. R., ... Pleshkov, B. (2024). Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe. Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses, 18(5), Article e13297. https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.13297

@article{6f29412cb5414ccd848e61850862170b,

title = "Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe",

abstract = "Background: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 saw the implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) by countries across Europe to reduce its transmission and impact on populations. Consequently, countries reported changes in influenza circulation and extensive disruptions to routine surveillance systems. Methods: We describe the epidemiology of influenza in Europe between Weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022 compared to the 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and PHSM on surveillance systems and influenza circulation. Results: Low detections of influenza were observed through primary care sentinel sources during seasonal influenza periods (Week 40 to 20); 56 (of 39,457 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) in 2020/21 and 7261 (of 64,153 specimens tested; 11% positivity) detections in 2021/22 were observed, compared to an average of 18,383 (of 50,544 specimens tested; 36% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. Similarly, 11 (of 19,989 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) and 1488 (of 23,636 specimens tested; 6% positivity) detections were reported through SARI surveillance sources in 2020/21 and 2021/22, respectively, compared to an average of 2850 (of 10,389 specimens tested; 27% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. However, the 2021/22 interseasonal period saw unusual increases in influenza detections across surveillance site types when PHSM were easing. Conclusion: In conclusion, findings suggest that the restriction and easing of PHSM measures were associated with variations in influenza detections. Our observations of out-of-season influenza activity highlight the importance of an integrated respiratory surveillance strategy to monitor circulating respiratory viruses throughout the year to inform optimal prevention and control strategies.",

keywords = "COVID-19 pandemic, Europe, epidemiology, influenza, non-sentinel, sentinel, severity, surveillance",

author = "Mary A Sinnathamby and Mesl{\'e}, {Margaux M I} and Piers Mook and Richard Pebody and Silvia Bino and Iris Hasibra and Nune Bakunts and Romella Abovyan and Evgenia Khachtryan and Monika Redlberger-Fritz and Nazifa Mursalova and Firuza Aliyeva and Veronika Vysotskaya and Natallia Shmialiova and Inna Karaban and Nathalie Bossuyt and Cyril Barbezange and Sanja Musa and Vukmir, {Nina Rodi{\'c}} and Ljubovi{\'c}, {Amela Dedei{\'c}} and Dijana Ba{\v s}tinac and Nadezhda Vladimirov and Neli Korsun and Ivelina Trifonova and Irena Tabain and Goranka Petrovi{\'c} and Christos Karagiannis and Christos Haralambous and Helena Jirincova and Jan Kyncl and Ramona Trebbien and Vestergaard, {Lasse Skafte} and Olga Sadikova and Irina Eero and Eliisa Metsoja and Niina Ikonen and Outi Lyytik{\"a}inen and Hanna Nohynek and Lucie Fournier and Caroline Guerrisi and Martine Valette and Ani Machablishvili and Silke Buda and Ralf D{\"u}rrwald and Georgia Gioula and Emmanouil Mary and Kassiani Mellou and M{\'o}nika R{\'o}zsa and Zsuzsanna Moln{\'a}r and Brynja Armannsdottir and Gu{\dh}r{\'u}n Aspelund and Joan O{\textquoteright}Donnell and Lisa Domegan and Jeff Connell and Michal Mandelboim and Aharona Glatman-Freedman and Simona Puzelli and Palamara, {Anna Teresa} and Francesco Maraglino and Smagulova, {Smagulova Meiramgul Kanapiyanovna} and Userbayev, {Aidar Sharipkhanuly} and Ariana Kalaveshi and Xhevat Jakupi and Gunga, {Zana Ka{\c c}aniku} and Otorbaeva, {D. S.} and Abdyldaeva, {S. Zh} and Esengeldiev, {G. M.} and Darja Vasiļevska and Toma{\v s}ūna, {Kate Karolīna} and Oksana Savicka and Greta Gargasiene and Svajune Muralyte and Nguyen, {Trung Nguyen} and Joel Mossong and Abdelrahman, {Tamir T.} and Tanya Melillo and Graziella Zahra and Jackie Melillo and Bozidarka Rakocevic and Zeljka Zekovic and Sanja Medenica and {de Lange}, Marit and Adam Meijer and Dragan Kochinski and Golubinka Boshevska and Trinehessevik Paulsen and Karoline Bragstad and Brydak, {Lidia B.} and Ewelina Hallmann and Karol Szyma{\'n}ski and Rodrigues, {Ana Paula} and Nuno Verdasca and Raquel Guiomar and Alina Druc and Mariana Apostol and Rodica Popescu and Odette Popovici and Mihaela Lazar and Komissarov, {Andrey B.} and Artem Fadeev and Kirill Stolyarov and Jelena Protic and M{\'a}ria Avdi{\v c}ov{\'a} and Adriana Me{\v c}ochov{\'a} and Edita Staro{\v n}ov{\'a} and Maja So{\v c}an and Katarina Prosenc and Nata{\v s}a Berginc and Amparo Larrauri and Clara Mazagatos and Francisco Pozo and Emma Appelqvist and Carnahan, {Anna Sara} and Cabecinhas, {Ana Rita Goncalves} and Tania Spedaliero and Navaruz Jafarov and Tamanno Safarova and Barno Barotova and Tatyana Kovalchuk and Altas, {Ayse Basak} and Emine Avci and Betul Ozdemir and Gurbangul Ovliyakulova and Tetiana Dykhanovska and Iryna Demchyshyna and Oksana Koshako and Conall Watson and Maria Zambon and Anissa Lakhani and Samantha Shepherd and Bradley, {Declan T.} and Tanya Curran and Catherine Moore and Simon Cottrell and Lyudmila Kudasheva and Sultan Djemileva and Boris Pleshkov",

note = "Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2024 The Authors. Influenza and Other Respiratory Viruses published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.",

year = "2024",

month = may,

doi = "10.1111/irv.13297",

language = "אנגלית",

volume = "18",

journal = "Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses",

issn = "1750-2640",

publisher = "Wiley-Blackwell Publishing Ltd",

number = "5",

}

Sinnathamby, MA, Meslé, MMI, Mook, P, Pebody, R, Bino, S, Hasibra, I, Bakunts, N, Abovyan, R, Khachtryan, E, Redlberger-Fritz, M, Mursalova, N, Aliyeva, F, Vysotskaya, V, Shmialiova, N, Karaban, I, Bossuyt, N, Barbezange, C, Musa, S, Vukmir, NR, Ljubović, AD, Baštinac, D, Vladimirov, N, Korsun, N, Trifonova, I, Tabain, I, Petrović, G, Karagiannis, C, Haralambous, C, Jirincova, H, Kyncl, J, Trebbien, R, Vestergaard, LS, Sadikova, O, Eero, I, Metsoja, E, Ikonen, N, Lyytikäinen, O, Nohynek, H, Fournier, L, Guerrisi, C, Valette, M, Machablishvili, A, Buda, S, Dürrwald, R, Gioula, G, Mary, E, Mellou, K, Rózsa, M, Molnár, Z, Armannsdottir, B, Aspelund, G, O’Donnell, J, Domegan, L, Connell, J, Mandelboim, M , Glatman-Freedman, A, Puzelli, S, Palamara, AT, Maraglino, F, Smagulova, SMK, Userbayev, AS, Kalaveshi, A, Jakupi, X, Gunga, ZK, Otorbaeva, DS, Abdyldaeva, SZ, Esengeldiev, GM, Vasiļevska, D, Tomašūna, KK, Savicka, O, Gargasiene, G, Muralyte, S, Nguyen, TN, Mossong, J, Abdelrahman, TT, Melillo, T, Zahra, G, Melillo, J, Rakocevic, B, Zekovic, Z, Medenica, S, de Lange, M, Meijer, A, Kochinski, D, Boshevska, G, Paulsen, T, Bragstad, K, Brydak, LB, Hallmann, E, Szymański, K, Rodrigues, AP, Verdasca, N, Guiomar, R, Druc, A, Apostol, M, Popescu, R, Popovici, O, Lazar, M, Komissarov, AB, Fadeev, A, Stolyarov, K, Protic, J, Avdičová, M, Mečochová, A, Staroňová, E, Sočan, M, Prosenc, K, Berginc, N, Larrauri, A, Mazagatos, C, Pozo, F, Appelqvist, E, Carnahan, AS, Cabecinhas, ARG, Spedaliero, T, Jafarov, N, Safarova, T, Barotova, B, Kovalchuk, T, Altas, AB, Avci, E, Ozdemir, B, Ovliyakulova, G, Dykhanovska, T, Demchyshyna, I, Koshako, O, Watson, C, Zambon, M, Lakhani, A, Shepherd, S, Bradley, DT, Curran, T, Moore, C, Cottrell, S, Kudasheva, L, Djemileva, S & Pleshkov, B 2024, 'Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe', Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses, vol. 18, no. 5, e13297. https://doi.org/10.1111/irv.13297

TY - JOUR

T1 - Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe

AU - Sinnathamby, Mary A

AU - Meslé, Margaux M I

AU - Mook, Piers

AU - Pebody, Richard

AU - Bino, Silvia

AU - Hasibra, Iris

AU - Bakunts, Nune

AU - Abovyan, Romella

AU - Khachtryan, Evgenia

AU - Redlberger-Fritz, Monika

AU - Mursalova, Nazifa

AU - Aliyeva, Firuza

AU - Vysotskaya, Veronika

AU - Shmialiova, Natallia

AU - Karaban, Inna

AU - Bossuyt, Nathalie

AU - Barbezange, Cyril

AU - Musa, Sanja

AU - Vukmir, Nina Rodić

AU - Ljubović, Amela Dedeić

AU - Baštinac, Dijana

AU - Vladimirov, Nadezhda

AU - Korsun, Neli

AU - Trifonova, Ivelina

AU - Tabain, Irena

AU - Petrović, Goranka

AU - Karagiannis, Christos

AU - Haralambous, Christos

AU - Jirincova, Helena

AU - Kyncl, Jan

AU - Trebbien, Ramona

AU - Vestergaard, Lasse Skafte

AU - Sadikova, Olga

AU - Eero, Irina

AU - Metsoja, Eliisa

AU - Ikonen, Niina

AU - Lyytikäinen, Outi

AU - Nohynek, Hanna

AU - Fournier, Lucie

AU - Guerrisi, Caroline

AU - Valette, Martine

AU - Machablishvili, Ani

AU - Buda, Silke

AU - Dürrwald, Ralf

AU - Gioula, Georgia

AU - Mary, Emmanouil

AU - Mellou, Kassiani

AU - Rózsa, Mónika

AU - Molnár, Zsuzsanna

AU - Armannsdottir, Brynja

AU - Aspelund, Guðrún

AU - O’Donnell, Joan

AU - Domegan, Lisa

AU - Connell, Jeff

AU - Mandelboim, Michal

AU - Glatman-Freedman, Aharona

AU - Puzelli, Simona

AU - Palamara, Anna Teresa

AU - Maraglino, Francesco

AU - Smagulova, Smagulova Meiramgul Kanapiyanovna

AU - Userbayev, Aidar Sharipkhanuly

AU - Kalaveshi, Ariana

AU - Jakupi, Xhevat

AU - Gunga, Zana Kaçaniku

AU - Otorbaeva, D. S.

AU - Abdyldaeva, S. Zh

AU - Esengeldiev, G. M.

AU - Vasiļevska, Darja

AU - Tomašūna, Kate Karolīna

AU - Savicka, Oksana

AU - Gargasiene, Greta

AU - Muralyte, Svajune

AU - Nguyen, Trung Nguyen

AU - Mossong, Joel

AU - Abdelrahman, Tamir T.

AU - Melillo, Tanya

AU - Zahra, Graziella

AU - Melillo, Jackie

AU - Rakocevic, Bozidarka

AU - Zekovic, Zeljka

AU - Medenica, Sanja

AU - de Lange, Marit

AU - Meijer, Adam

AU - Kochinski, Dragan

AU - Boshevska, Golubinka

AU - Paulsen, Trinehessevik

AU - Bragstad, Karoline

AU - Brydak, Lidia B.

AU - Hallmann, Ewelina

AU - Szymański, Karol

AU - Rodrigues, Ana Paula

AU - Verdasca, Nuno

AU - Guiomar, Raquel

AU - Druc, Alina

AU - Apostol, Mariana

AU - Popescu, Rodica

AU - Popovici, Odette

AU - Lazar, Mihaela

AU - Komissarov, Andrey B.

AU - Fadeev, Artem

AU - Stolyarov, Kirill

AU - Protic, Jelena

AU - Avdičová, Mária

AU - Mečochová, Adriana

AU - Staroňová, Edita

AU - Sočan, Maja

AU - Prosenc, Katarina

AU - Berginc, Nataša

AU - Larrauri, Amparo

AU - Mazagatos, Clara

AU - Pozo, Francisco

AU - Appelqvist, Emma

AU - Carnahan, Anna Sara

AU - Cabecinhas, Ana Rita Goncalves

AU - Spedaliero, Tania

AU - Jafarov, Navaruz

AU - Safarova, Tamanno

AU - Barotova, Barno

AU - Kovalchuk, Tatyana

AU - Altas, Ayse Basak

AU - Avci, Emine

AU - Ozdemir, Betul

AU - Ovliyakulova, Gurbangul

AU - Dykhanovska, Tetiana

AU - Demchyshyna, Iryna

AU - Koshako, Oksana

AU - Watson, Conall

AU - Zambon, Maria

AU - Lakhani, Anissa

AU - Shepherd, Samantha

AU - Bradley, Declan T.

AU - Curran, Tanya

AU - Moore, Catherine

AU - Cottrell, Simon

AU - Kudasheva, Lyudmila

AU - Djemileva, Sultan

AU - Pleshkov, Boris

PY - 2024/5

Y1 - 2024/5

N2 - Background: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 saw the implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) by countries across Europe to reduce its transmission and impact on populations. Consequently, countries reported changes in influenza circulation and extensive disruptions to routine surveillance systems. Methods: We describe the epidemiology of influenza in Europe between Weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022 compared to the 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and PHSM on surveillance systems and influenza circulation. Results: Low detections of influenza were observed through primary care sentinel sources during seasonal influenza periods (Week 40 to 20); 56 (of 39,457 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) in 2020/21 and 7261 (of 64,153 specimens tested; 11% positivity) detections in 2021/22 were observed, compared to an average of 18,383 (of 50,544 specimens tested; 36% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. Similarly, 11 (of 19,989 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) and 1488 (of 23,636 specimens tested; 6% positivity) detections were reported through SARI surveillance sources in 2020/21 and 2021/22, respectively, compared to an average of 2850 (of 10,389 specimens tested; 27% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. However, the 2021/22 interseasonal period saw unusual increases in influenza detections across surveillance site types when PHSM were easing. Conclusion: In conclusion, findings suggest that the restriction and easing of PHSM measures were associated with variations in influenza detections. Our observations of out-of-season influenza activity highlight the importance of an integrated respiratory surveillance strategy to monitor circulating respiratory viruses throughout the year to inform optimal prevention and control strategies.

AB - Background: The emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in late 2019 saw the implementation of public health and social measures (PHSM) by countries across Europe to reduce its transmission and impact on populations. Consequently, countries reported changes in influenza circulation and extensive disruptions to routine surveillance systems. Methods: We describe the epidemiology of influenza in Europe between Weeks 40/2020 and 39/2022 compared to the 2016/17 to 2019/20 seasons, to assess the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and PHSM on surveillance systems and influenza circulation. Results: Low detections of influenza were observed through primary care sentinel sources during seasonal influenza periods (Week 40 to 20); 56 (of 39,457 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) in 2020/21 and 7261 (of 64,153 specimens tested; 11% positivity) detections in 2021/22 were observed, compared to an average of 18,383 (of 50,544 specimens tested; 36% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. Similarly, 11 (of 19,989 specimens tested; < 1% positivity) and 1488 (of 23,636 specimens tested; 6% positivity) detections were reported through SARI surveillance sources in 2020/21 and 2021/22, respectively, compared to an average of 2850 (of 10,389 specimens tested; 27% positivity) detections in 2016/17 to 2019/20. However, the 2021/22 interseasonal period saw unusual increases in influenza detections across surveillance site types when PHSM were easing. Conclusion: In conclusion, findings suggest that the restriction and easing of PHSM measures were associated with variations in influenza detections. Our observations of out-of-season influenza activity highlight the importance of an integrated respiratory surveillance strategy to monitor circulating respiratory viruses throughout the year to inform optimal prevention and control strategies.

KW - COVID-19 pandemic

KW - Europe

KW - epidemiology

KW - influenza

KW - non-sentinel

KW - sentinel

KW - severity

KW - surveillance

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85192704221&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.1111/irv.13297

DO - 10.1111/irv.13297

M3 - ???researchoutput.researchoutputtypes.contributiontojournal.article???

AN - SCOPUS:85192704221

SN - 1750-2640

VL - 18

JO - Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses

JF - Influenza and other Respiratory Viruses

IS - 5

M1 - e13297

ER -

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Influenza Circulation During the 2020/21 and 2021/22 Seasons, in Europe

Abstract

Keywords

UN SDGs

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