This study states that While the coronavirus disease-2019 (COVID-19) continues casting global health burdens, non-COVID-19 viral respiratory tract infections (RTIs) continue devastating millions of lives with estimated 4 million deaths worldwide.1, 2 Prior to the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), the most commonly diagnosed pathogenic respiratory viruses are influenza virus, parainfluenza virus (PIV), seasonal coronavirus (sCoV), enterovirus (EnV) and rhinovirus (RhV), adenovirus (AdV), human metapneumovirus (hMPV), and human bocavirus (hBoV). These viruses can also be virologically classified into two groups: enveloped viruses (eg, influenza virus, PIV, and sCoV) and non-enveloped viruses (eg, AdV, EnV, and RhV). Without implementing a combination of timely testing, accurate diagnosis, effective treatment, and non-pharmaceutical interventions, countries’ healthcare systems could be heavily exhausted by these viral RTIs compounded with the COVID-19 pandemic.3-6
Physical distancing and face mask use have been worldwide recognized as effective non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) to mitigate the spread of COVID-19. Mathematical models have forecast that an 80% coverage of face mask use among populations can effectively reduce the transmission and mortality of SARS-CoV-2.
Reference link- https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/irv.12858
