Comparing school term and holiday seasonal respiratory virus detection rates in hospitalised children, 2019–2024

Key Points

• Respiratory virus detection rates are significantly higher during the holiday season compared to school terms, indicating a trend in hospitalization.
• The difference in detection rates observed was notably 30% higher during holidays than during the school term, emphasizing the seasonal impact.
• Analysis of virus detection rates involved hospitalized children across multiple hospitals over the years 2019 to 2024.
• Findings highlight the need for targeted preventive measures during holiday periods to mitigate respiratory virus spread.