COVID-19 Continues to Strain Healthcare Systems During Winter ARI Seasons, Despite Population Immunity.
A recent study conducted in Germany has revealed that SARS-CoV-2 caused a 21% excess of acute respiratory infections (ARIs) during the winter of 2022-23. The research, published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases, suggests that COVID-19 will pose a significant burden during cold and flu seasons.
The study was conducted through an online survey about ARIs sent to 70,000 registered participants in a digital health study in March 2023. Despite many individuals no longer regularly testing for COVID-19 three years after the start of the pandemic, the research found that out of 37,708 participants who responded to the survey, 54,813 ARIs were reported.
A total of 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. Among all tests conducted, only 21% returned positive results. This indicates that despite population immunity potentially lowering the risk of severe SARS-CoV-2 infections, there is still a higher burden of ARIs compared to pre-pandemic levels.
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
