How COVID-19 will change the management of other respiratory viral infections

Abstract

Started with a local outbreak of pneumonia in Wuhan, China, coronavirus disease-19 (COVID-19) has spread globally over a short time, to become one of the largest known pandemic in human history. In parallel, and within less than a year and a half, there have been great advancements in understanding the pathophysiology, management, and prevention of COVID-19. The speed of progress has far exceeded what has been made in many other diseases, including other severe respiratory viral infections (RVIs). This progress was driven largely by the pressing urgency created by the unprecedented global pandemic. However, at the same time, many advancements would not have been possible without the coordinated research response; a response that has built on knowledge and networks already present. While we are still in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, and there is much to learn about this disease, the experience from COVID-19 should transform the approach to addressing future research on RVIs. There are many biologic similarities and differences between COVID-19 and other RVIs, which translate to similarities and differences in management. Here, we focus on selected lessons learned in COVID-19 management and how they may be relevant for research in other RVIs (Fig. 1; Table S1).