Changes in Pediatric Acute Respiratory Infections Before, During, and After the COVID-19 Pandemic: A Retrospective Study

COVID-19 NPIs were associated with a marked reduction and altered timing of pediatric ARIs, whereas infections in other organ systems were largely unaffected. After restrictions were lifted, ARI incidence surpassed pre-pandemic levels, but disease severity remained stable. These findings highlight how public health measures and subsequent exposure shifts can reshape respiratory infection epidemiology in children.