SEOUL, May 27 (Korea Bizwire) — Since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus, the number of patients with a common cold has sharply decreased due to an increased focus on personal hygiene such as washing hands and wearing a mask.
According to digital healthcare company UB Care, cold-related prescriptions such as acute nasopharyngitis decreased 71 percent in April of this year compared to the same period a year earlier.
Analysts say the incidence of colds has decreased significantly as handwashing and wearing masks have become more common since the onset of the coronavirus epidemic.
The fact that young children, who often suffer from common colds, have not been visiting clinics or hospitals as often also seems to have had an impact.
In March and April of this year, the number of prescriptions for patients under the age of 10 fell 67 percent and 76 percent, respectively.
It is presumed that colds have not spread as much as usual with the tendency to avoid hospitals intensifying due to the COVID-19 crisis and schools postponing the start of classes, reducing the number of group gatherings.
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