Potential future implications of the COVID-19 pandemic on Norovirus infections in England

Abstract

I read with interest the recent article by Eigner et al., in the Journal of infection, highlighting the reduction in Norovirus (NoV) infections reported in Germany since the introduction of COVID-19 containment measures in 20201. In the UK, there has been a reduction in both NoV infections and outbreaks reported to Public Health England (PHE) since the introduction of Nonpharmaceutical Interventions (NPIs) by the UK government to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in March 20202. The GII.4 NoV strain was detected in the mid-20th century and has undergone evolution in the form of 7 new variants since the 1990s which have been associated with global epidemics3.