How COVID-19 created dramatic changes in a ‘winter virus’

The pandemic is changing the genetic landscape of virus strains A University of Sydney- led study reveals how the pandemic has changed the normal patterns of winter viruses in Australia, with new strains emerging and leaving most others ‘extinct’. Researchers are warning of unexpected rebounds in the future. One of the first studies to document the impact of COVID-19 on already existing viruses in Australia has revealed how the pandemic was responsible for creating a huge change in the incidence and genetics of Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) in the country. RSV is a common virus that generally causes mild, cold like symptoms, infection can be serious particularly for infants and older adults. Researchers say the pandemic has disrupted the seasonal pattern of RSV, a key member of a group of regular ‘winter viruses’. For the first time on record, during 2020, the winter RSV epidemic was absent due to COVID-19 travel restrictions and infection...