The impact of COVID-19 pandemic on acute otitis media among the pediatric population

Abstract

BackgroundThe incidence of respiratory diseases has dropped during the school closures at the COVID-19 pandemic including acute otitis media (AOM) among the pediatric population. MethodsThis study included 2090 patients under 12 years old, that were diagnosed with AOM between March 2019 and February 2021 at the otolaryngology and pediatrics emergency room at a public tertiary hospital in Sao Paulo, Brazil. ResultsThere was a significant drop in number of AOM cases diagnosed during the quarantine. The group before the pandemic represents 87,2% of the total attendings and the first two months of quarantine had the major attendance discrepancy between the same period during pre-pandemic times. ConclusionQuarantine isolation measures and school closures may have helped reduce not only the coronavirus spread but also other infectious diseases such as AOM among the pediatric population.