A recent study published in the International Journal of Infectious Diseases has revealed that SARS-CoV-2 caused an excess of 21% acute respiratory infections (ARIs) during the winter of 2022-23 in Germany. The research was conducted through an online survey sent to 70,000 registered participants in a digital health study in March 2023.
Out of the 37,708 participants who responded to the survey, a total of 54,813 ARIs were reported, with 9,358 confirmed cases of SARS-CoV-2 through either at-home or clinical tests. However, among all tests conducted, only 21% returned positive results. This discrepancy is likely due to many individuals in Germany and elsewhere no longer regularly testing for COVID-19 three years after the start of the pandemic.
The study found that the highest incidence of all ARIs occurred in December 2022, with 26 infections per 100 people. Adults aged 30 to 39 experienced the highest cumulative incidence, with 208 infections per
