Changing pattern of respiratory virus detections among school-aged
children in a small community -- Dane County, Wisconsin,
September-December 2022
Abstract
Widespread school closures and other non-pharmaceutical interventions
(NPIs), used to limit the spread of SARS-CoV-2, significantly disrupted
transmission patterns of seasonal respiratory viruses. As NPIs were
relaxed, populations were vulnerable to resurgence. This study within a
small community assessed acute respiratory illness among kindergarten
through grade 12 students as they returned to public schools from
September through December 2022 without masking and distancing
requirements. The 277 specimens collected demonstrated a shift from
rhinovirus to influenza. With continued circulation of SARS-CoV-2 and
return of seasonal respiratory viruses, understanding evolving
transmission patterns will play an important role in reducing disease
burden.