Impact of Nonpharmaceutical Interventions for Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 on Norovirus Outbreaks: An Analysis of Outbreaks Reported By 9 US States

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Alicia NM Kraay, Emory University; Peichun Han, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta; Anita K Kambhampati, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; Mary E Wikswo, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; Sara A Mirza, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA; Benjamin Lopman, Emory University
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-07-02
• Publisher: OXFORD UNIV PRESS INC
• Publication Version: Author Accepted Manuscript (After Peer Review)
• Copyright Statement: © The Author(s) 2021
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/infdis/jiab093
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: JOURNAL OF INFECTIOUS DISEASES
• Volume: 224
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 9
• End Page: 13
• Grant/Funding Information: B. A. L. and A. N. M. K. were supported by the National Institute of General Medical Sciences of the National Institutes of Health (grant numbers R01 GM124280 and R01 GM 12480-03S1) and the National Science Foundation (grant number 2032084).
• Keywords: norovirus; UNITED-STATES; Science & Technology; TRANSMISSION; nonpharmaceutical interventions; Infectious Diseases; social distancing; Immunology; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; SARS-CoV-2; Microbiology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Epidemiology; Health Sciences, Public Health

Abstract

In April 2020, the incidence of norovirus outbreaks reported to the National Outbreak Reporting System dramatically declined. We used regression models to determine if this decline was best explained by underreporting, seasonal trends, or reduced exposure due to nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) implemented for severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 using data from 9 states from July 2012 to July 2020. The decline in norovirus outbreaks was significant for all 9 states, and underreporting and/or seasonality are unlikely to be the primary explanation for these findings. These patterns were similar across a variety of settings. NPIs appear to have reduced incidence of norovirus, a nonrespiratory pathogen.