A study has found that COVID-19 safety measures have helped in a sharp decline in the number of children being admitted to hospitals. Conducted by researchers at the University of Oxford, the study found that hospital admissions for life-threatening illnesses such as sepsis, measles and meningitis have declined since the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in the year 2020. The reasons behind the decline in the number of cases vary from social distancing measures to improved hygiene.

However, scientists have called for more studies to figure out potential ways to enhance the protection of children once the pandemic-related safety measures cease to exist.

“Since the onset of the Covid-19 pandemic, there have been major reductions in hospital admissions for respiratory, severe invasive, and vaccine-preventable infections in children in England,” the researchers wrote in the study.

Published in the British Medical Journal, the study examined hospital admissions for children up to 14-year-old for common and severe childhood diseases in the UK between March 2017 and the end of June 2021. As per the study findings, the biggest reduction in number of admissions has been observed for influenza.

Starting March 1, 2020 till the next 12 months, the number of flu-related hospital admissions decreased by about 94 percent (from 5,379 to 304). Furthermore, admissions from bronchiolitis reduced by more than 80 percent from 51,655 to 9,423 during the same duration. For osteomyelitis, percentage reductions ranged from 26 percent to 50 percent for meningitis.

In addition, admissions due to vaccine-preventable infections reduced between 53 percent for mumps to 90 percent for measles (from 149 to 15) in 2020-21.

The study concluded that the measures taken by authorities to contain the COVID-19 impact, including social distancing, school closures, and minimal group activities along with reduced travel and associated reduction in air pollution have helped in the decline in hospital admissions for common and severe childhood infections.

Researchers pointed out that children which conditions such as asthma were also “substantially protected” from other infections. Other measures like increased cleaning, better hand hygiene, the use of face masks, combined with “improved respiratory etiquette” have also contributed to the positive development.

Additional data point out that after May 2021, when COVID-19 restrictions were eased in England, croup and upper respiratory tract infections became more common than usual.

"The study’s outcome indicated that children with severe underlying comorbidities, including extremely preterm infants, those with congenital cardiac disease and those with asthma, have been protected from severe and potentially life-threatening infection," they added.