In a recent study at the Medical University of Vienna, researchers found that less-intrusive, non-drug interventions to limit the spread of COVID-19 can be just as effective in slowing transmission as more intrusive solutions, such as lockdowns.
They checked the interventions taken in many countries and regions during the COVID-19 pandemic.
They also found that the most effective NPIs were the cancelation of small gatherings, closure of educational establishments, border restrictions, movement restrictions, national lockdowns, and increasing the supply of personal protective equipment.
In the absence of an effective vaccine to treat COVID-19, these interventions are being used by governments to mitigate the spread of the virus.
The study is published in Nature Human Behavior. One author is Peter Klimek.
In the study, the team used four models to examine the effect of 6,068 interventions in 79 countries or regions, to see their impact on lowering the spread of COVID-19.
They then validated these results using two big databases of 42,151 interventions from 226 countries.
All four methods identified the same interventions (the cancelation of small gatherings, closure of educational establishments, border restrictions, individual movement restrictions, national lockdowns, and increasing the supply of personal protective equipment) as being most effective.
The team also found that less-disruptive methods, including governmental support to vulnerable populations, food assistance programs, and communication strategies on social distancing and self-isolation, can be as effective in reducing the rate of transmission as more drastic and intrusive options, such as lockdowns.
Among the least effective interventions were environmental measures, such as the cleaning of shared surfaces.
The researchers highlight that there is no single intervention that will prevent the spread of COVID-19 and that a combination of interventions tailored to an individual country and its epidemic is needed.
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