Cases of respiratory illness such as Covid-19 and influenza are on the rise as the days get colder, with hospital admissions for severe respiratory illness and calls to Healthline about influenza-like illness trending up.
A seventh wave of Covid was also rising, caused by a new variant that the Institute of Environmental Science and Research said was the fastest growing since the summer of 2023/24.
ESR public health physician Sarah Jefferies said there had been increasing community transmission of Covid-19 in New Zealand as well, with genomic surveillance showing it was caused by the spread of a globally recognised, more transmissible variant called Nimbus, NB.1.8.1.
The annual influenza season usually happened between May and October, she said.
“We are not yet near the usual peak of illness which is expected in July or August, so it is still recommended for people to access the seasonal influenza vaccine to protect themselves and loved ones.”
Epidemiologist Michael Baker told Breakfast that colder temperatures and subsequent increased indoor activity drove the spread of viruses that thrived in poorly ventilated spaces.
“All of us, parents of children, just know to some ways, brace ourselves for this period, but it isn’t inevitable.”
Covid-19, however, bucked those seasonal trends.
“It just comes along when it feels like it, when it’s got a new variant, and by chance, we’re seeing our seventh wave of Covid-19 at the moment, so we’ve got all of these viruses at once,” Baker said.
Parents of sick children could take some steps, although difficult, to contain the spread through the household.
“You don’t always win, but you can, if you pay real attention,” he said.
This included separating sleeping arrangements, increased ventilation by opening windows or doors and, where possible, having symptomatic children wear N95 masks to reduce aerosol spread.
It was also important to keep children home when they were “particularly sick”, Baker said, with fever, heavy coughing, constant sneezing, or thick yellow mucus being strong indicators to keep a child home.
“Children get over these infections quickly, so it will only be a few days.”
Despite the current viral wave, Baker reported no signs of new or unexpected viruses on the horizon.
“We’re just seeing the boring, regular ones, and that’s good,” he said.
Baker said New Zealand needed a comprehensive respiratory disease strategy to reduce the “largely preventable burden” from the diseases.
“We need a major coordinated effort to improve the safety of indoor air in our main shared environments such as schools, workplaces, and healthcare facilities.”
A focus on raising coverage of influenza and Covid-19 vaccines as well as selective use of masks in crowded indoor settings were also needed, he said.
