Why are children getting so many illnesses like flu, RSV and strep A this winter?

Many countries in the Northern Hemisphere are seeing spikes in childhood respiratory infections, such as flu and RSV. While this is partly because childhood infection rates fell during COVID-19 restrictions, that’s not the whole story

Health

December 20, 2022

Through Michael Marshall

Hospital admissions among children for some respiratory infections were higher than normal in several countries this year.

Yanukit Raiva/EyeEm/Getty Images

After two long covid-19 winters, the northern hemisphere is now going through a difficult season with multiple infectious diseases. Other respiratory infections, such as flu and those caused by respiratory syncytial virus (RSV), are rampant, especially in children, leading to waves of hospitalizations and a number of deaths. While it’s normal for respiratory infections to peak in the coldest months, the timing of the waves and the number of hospitalizations are both…