Effects of COVID-19 Prevention Measures on Other Common Infections, Taiwan

Emerg Infect Dis. 2020 Oct;26(10):2509-2511. doi: 10.3201/eid2610.203193. Epub 2020 Jul 30.

Abstract

To determine whether policies to limit transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) hinder spread of other infectious diseases, we analyzed the National Health Insurance database in Taiwan. Rates of other infections were significantly lower after SARS-CoV-2 prevention measures were announced. This finding can be applied to cost-effectiveness of SARS-CoV-2 prevention.

Keywords: 2019 novel coronavirus disease; COVID-19; SARS-CoV-2; Taiwan; coronavirus disease; enterovirus; influenza; respiratory infections; scarlet fever; severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; viruses; zoonoses.

Publication types

  • Letter

MeSH terms

  • Ambulatory Care / statistics & numerical data*
  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / prevention & control*
  • Databases, Factual
  • Enterovirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Health Policy
  • Humans
  • Influenza, Human / epidemiology*
  • Pandemics / prevention & control*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / prevention & control*
  • SARS-CoV-2
  • Scarlet Fever / epidemiology*
  • Taiwan / epidemiology