Although there has been little talk of COVID-19 since the declaration of the end of the pandemic in May 2023, medical professionals across the world are still studying its effects and preparing for the possibilities of new variants, with data collection for respiratory diseases at its annual peak in Hungary this season.
“Autumn to spring is the season for respiratory infections, when airborne pathogens circulate more widely in the population,” explains Galgóczi. “In addition to influenza and SARS-CoV-2 [COVID-19], a number of other respiratory pathogens circulate, such as adenoviruses, RSV, rhinoviruses, parainfluenza virus and infections of bacterial origin,” she notes.
“The influenza epidemic in our country typically starts in January and peaks in February before gradually subsiding. In Hungary, a so-called respiratory surveillance service has been in operation for decades, collecting the number and age distribution of people presenting to their general practitioners with influenza-like illnesses,” Galgóczi says.
“An integrated surveillance system was launched in the 2023-2024 respiratory season, which includes complex clinical, microbiological and weekly monitoring of concentrations of SARS-CoV-2 and a genetic agent of influenza A in wastewater,” says the expert.
These values are charted “every week from the 40th week of the year until the 20th week of the following year,” with weekly updates, with the most recent revision at the time of this publication reflecting the values collected on the 51st week of 2024.
The values from the past 83 weeks show that the highest average of the genetic material of the COVID-19 virus found in wastewater across Hungary peaked in the last couple of weeks of 2023, with a sudden and rapid decline in the first few months of 2024. Although the values peaked at roughly the same weeks during 2024, the numbers did not reach the same levels as in the previous year.
A geographical chart further details this information, displaying data regarding the concentration and tendency of the COVID-19 genetic material found in the wastewater. It shows that while many areas around the country still have increased values, most of the concentrations, such as the ones found in Northern Budapest, Pécs and Debrecen, are stagnating, while some values, in places such as Miskolc, Central- and Southern Budapest, are already decreasing.
According to the National Public Health and Pharmaceutical Center (NNGYK) website, where these graphs are posted, “Based on the wastewater results, the increase in the number of COVID-19 infections is expected to stop in the near future.”
Galgóczi says this type of monitoring is key for medical facilities in counties across Hungary. “Healthcare providers can be informed about areas with high pathogen circulation and where an increase in the number of cases is expected. On this basis, in-patient care facilities can strengthen their infection control measures, for example, by requiring visitors to wear masks or imposing visiting restrictions,” she notes.
Although rates of COVID-19 are expected to decline, vaccination campaigns are still being run, mainly targeting at-risk demographics in terms of both COVID-19 and influenza.
“Both the influenza and COVID-19 vaccination campaigns have started, and the vaccine is available and accessible to the population at their general practitioners. We rely on them in particular during the vaccination campaign, as their preventive role includes offering and administering vaccines to care recipients,” says Galgóczi.
“The two vaccines can be administered at the same time, and it is not too late to take advantage of them,” she urges. “For influenza vaccine, the World Health Organization will issue a recommended vaccine formulation for the [current] respiratory season. This season, the vaccine contains the JN.1 variant and is available to the general public in our country,” she says.
“The primary target groups are those at risk of more severe influenza and COVID-19, with the aim of preventing hospitalization. These are people over 60 years of age, people with chronic, mainly cardiovascular, respiratory or metabolic diseases, immunosuppressed people and transplant recipients,” the doctor explains.
According to Galgóczi, some strain on the healthcare system is also expected for the upcoming period.
“During the respiratory season, primary and in-patient care can experience increased workloads. There may be an increase in the number of people presenting to doctors with respiratory symptoms and an increase in the number of respiratory illnesses requiring hospitalization in vulnerable, at-risk populations,” she shares.
“Prevention should be emphasized to minimize the burden. Vaccination is a safe and effective way to do this. Seasonally recommended vaccines are available in Hungary against both influenza and COVID-19. Vaccination is aimed at developing individual protection and preventing the development of severe disease.”
As significant as the decline of COVID-19 cases has been since the height of the pandemic, it is still an active subject that medical professionals have to account for, at least until the number of cases declines to a consistent near zero.
“On May 5, 2023, the WHO declared the end of the COVID-19 pandemic,” says Galgóczi notes. “However, this did not mean the end of data collection on SARS-CoV-2 and the respiratory illness it causes. Data on acute respiratory illnesses and microbiological results from airway sampling can be used to monitor the current circulation of the SARS-CoV-2 virus variant. The virus is volatile, with the current circulating variants causing less severe disease. However, those at risk, the elderly, those with chronic disease and the immunosuppressed, remain at risk of more severe infection.”
This article was first published in the Budapest Business Journal print issue of January 10, 2025.
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