AUTHOR=Zheng Luyan , Qi Jinjin , Wu Jie , Zheng Min TITLE=Changes in Influenza Activity and Circulating Subtypes During the COVID-19 Outbreak in China JOURNAL=Frontiers in Medicine VOLUME=9 YEAR=2022 URL=https://www.frontiersin.org/journals/medicine/articles/10.3389/fmed.2022.829799 DOI=10.3389/fmed.2022.829799 ISSN=2296-858X ABSTRACT=Background

Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to mitigate COVID-19 can impact the circulation of influenza viruses. There is a need to describe the activity of influenza and its subtypes during the COVID-19 pandemic to aid in the development of influenza prevention and control measures in the next influenza season.

Method

Data from pathogenic surveillance performed by the Chinese National Influenza Center from January 2016 to August 2021 were extracted and stratified by type and subtype for northern China and southern China. The distribution of influenza activity and circulating subtypes were described during the COVID-19 pandemic, and data from 2016 to 2019 were used for comparisons.

Results

Influenza activity declined rapidly and then rose slowly during the COVID-19 pandemic in China. The distribution of influenza subtypes changed from A-dominant to B/Victoria-dominant after the COVID-19 outbreak.

Discussion

Whether the B/Yamagata lineage has disappeared from China deserves more attention in future virologic monitoring programs. The influenza vaccination campaign in the 2021–2022 season is an important means by which to reduce the proportion of susceptible people and limit the damage that potentially greater and earlier circulation of the virus could cause.