Collateral Impacts and Knock-on Effects of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Human Endemic Infectious Diseases Circulation

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, people across the globe have fundamentally changed their way of living to mitigate the spread of SARS-CoV-2. The drastic behavioural changes induced by SARS-CoV-2 response have also perturbed the circulation of many other endemic pathogens in the human population. For instance, the non-pharmaceutical interventions targeting SARS-CoV-2 has suppressed the influenza circulation in the human population to a very low level for more than a year. Respiratory syncytial virus, on the other hand, has seen off-season resurgence during the summer months of 2021 following an initial suppression during the 2020 season in multiple countries. Travel restrictions and lockdowns may hinder the progress of on-going eradication/control campaigns of polio, tuberculosis, malaria and HIV. Immunization schedules for childhood diseases could also be interrupted, setting the stage for their potential resurgence in the coming years. Moreover, the interruption of routine vector-control and prolonged period at home during the lockdown may elevate the risk of vector-borne disease during the pandemic. A better documentation and understanding of collateral impacts and knock-on effects to endemic pathogens would put us in a better position to prepare for the upcoming public health challenges in the post-pandemic era.

This Research Topic aims to collate and synthesize pilot evidence and perspectives on the circulation of endemic human pathogen during the COVID-19 pandemic and beyond. Specifically, this topic aims to document the empirical evidence on the changes in circulation patterns of all types of endemic human pathogens in comparison to that during the pre-pandemic era. The topic is equally interested in documenting any interruptions of routine public health measures against infectious diseases such as surveillance, immunization schedules and vector controls, as well as the on-going eradication/elimination campaigns. The topic aim to spark discussions on the differential effectiveness of the pandemic-era non-pharmaceutical interventions (masking, social distancing, travel restrictions etc.) across different types of infectious diseases in humans. The topic also welcomes modelling analysis of change in infectious disease dynamics during the pandemic and projections into the post-pandemic era. The topic is interested in a global view point and especially encourage contributions from low-to-middle-income countries.

This Research Topic encompasses a broad scope in terms of the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic on dynamics of other endemic infectious diseases. Specific subjects include, but not limited to:
-Changes in circulating patterns of all types of endemic human pathogens in comparison to those during the pre-pandemic;
-Cocirculation/coinfections of other endemic human pathogens with SARS-CoV-2 and their potential interactions;
-Interruptions of routine public health measures against infectious diseases such as surveillance, immunization schedules and vector controls and their potential consequences in the future;
-Interruptions of the on-going infectious disease eradication/control campaigns and the potential consequences in the future;
-Evaluation of the effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 non-pharmaceutical interventions on other endemic pathogens;
-Modelling analysis to project endemic pathogen dynamics during the pandemic and in the post-pandemic era;

We welcome both descriptive and modelling analysis. We are open to Original Research, Reviews, Mini Reviews, Case Reports, Protocols, and Perspectives. We value novel, interdisciplinary approaches to advance public health preparedness and response in the post-pandemic era and for future pandemics.