# Current status and reflections on the diagnosis and treatment of respiratory tract infections in children in the COVID‐19 pandemic and post‐COVID‐19 era

## TL;DR

This review discusses how the spread of respiratory viruses in children changed during and after the COVID-19 pandemic and offers insights into diagnosing and treating these infections.

## Contribution

The paper provides a comprehensive summary of the evolving viral landscape in childhood respiratory infections post-pandemic.

## Key findings

- Nonpharmaceutical interventions during the pandemic altered the spectrum of respiratory viruses in children.
- Relaxation of these interventions led to a resurgence of multiple viral infections in some regions.
- The paper highlights the need for updated diagnostic and treatment strategies for RTIs in the post-pandemic era.

## Abstract

Respiratory tract infections (RTIs) are common and frequently occurring diseases in children, posing a significant health threat to children worldwide. Viruses are the most important pathogens of childhood RTIs. Since the outbreak of Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID‐19), a series of nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been widely implemented around the globe, and important changes have taken place in the spectrum of respiratory diseases and viruses in children. However, with relaxation of NPIs, there has been a “virus resurgence” in some areas, with multiple viral infectious diseases appearing simultaneously. This review comprehensively summarizes the changes observed in the spectrum of respiratory diseases and viruses in children in the context of the COVID‐19 pandemic, explores possible mechanisms, and presents reflections on the key points of diagnosis and treatment of RTIs in children in the post‐COVID‐19 era in light of recent advances in COVID‐19 in children.