Expert advice
Children’s respiratory illnesses: why are emergency department attendances on the rise?
With lockdown easing, some hospitals report a surge in presentations usually seen in winter

With lockdown easing, hospitals report a surge in presentations usually seen in winter, but the surge is not COVID-related
Emergency departments (EDs) are reportedly seeing very high numbers of young children for this time of year.
The attendances are not related to COVID-19, but instead appear to be linked to respiratory infections usually seen during winter.
What kind of respiratory illnesses are being seen?
The increase in cases is related to a range of respiratory infections, including respiratory syncytial virus and bronchiolitis, parainfluenza and rhinovirus, all of
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