What are the most effective measures to combat this …

A study by the University of Vienna, Austria, ranked the effectiveness of measures applied in different countries of the world to fight the pandemic.

The investigation concluded that among the most effective arrangements are the suspension of social gatherings and the closure of educational institutions, although he also pointed out the harmful consequences of its application.

In an article published in the magazine Human behavior of nature, the researchers explained that no non-pharmaceutical intervention (INF) “acts as a silver bullet in the spread of Covid-19”. However, they identified several “critical interventions that significantly contribute to reducing (the rate) R less than 1 and this must therefore be considered as an effective flattening of the curve in the face of a possible second wave “.

According to the report, the most effective INFs are “curfews and closures of places where people congregate in small or large numbers for an extended period”. This includes cancellations of small meetings (closings of stores, restaurants, meetings of 50 people or less, compulsory homework, etc.) and closures of educational institutions.

As for schools, the study indicates that the most recent data recommends against allowing face-to-face lessons. He further stated that school closures in the United States have been shown to be effective in reducing infections and mortality by 60%. “This finding is also consistent with a contact tracing study conducted in South Korea, which identified adolescents aged 10 to 19 more likely to spread the virus than adults and children in the home,” the publication notes. . .

In summary, individual movement restrictions (including curfews, bans on gatherings and movement for non-essential activities or measures that segment the population) are among the most important decisions.

Border restrictions have also found broad consensus as very effective policies to prevent contagion. “The role of travel in the global spread of respiratory disease was crucial during the first outbreak of SARS (2002-2003)”, although research has also warned of “the great impact on trade, economy and the global humanitarian response system “.

The study, however, also warns of the negative consequences of more restrictive measures: “School closures disrupt learning and can lead to poor nutrition, stress and social isolation in children. dramatically increased the rate of domestic violence in many countries, with huge impact on women and children, while limiting access to long-term care, such as chemotherapy, with substantial impacts on patient health and the possibilities of survival “.

For this reason, specialists suggested that governments implement “less stringent measures, encompassing as much prevention as possible, but allow an acceptable balance between the pros and cons. ”

The specialists also stressed the importance of communication strategies and government actions aimed at actively communicating the risks of a pandemic and how to prevent the spread of the virus.

“Effective messages include encouraging people to stay at home, promoting social distancing and workplace safety measures, encouraging self-isolation of people with symptoms, travel advisories and information campaigns. (mainly via social networks) ”.

Among the most ineffective measures, the researchers highlighted, for example, those aimed at disinfecting and cleaning surfaces and objects in public and semi-public places. There was also no evidence of the effectiveness of social distancing in public transport.

“Although infections have been reported on buses and trains, our results may suggest a limited contribution of these cases to the overall spread of the virus, as previously noted,” the report concludes.