Estimating the impact of physical distancing measures in containing COVID-19: an empirical analysis.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Epidemic modelling studies predict that physical distancing is critical in containing COVID-19. However, few empirical studies have validated this finding. Our study evaluates the effectiveness of different physical distancing measures in controlling viral transmission.

Methods

We identified three distinct physical distancing measures with varying intensity and implemented at different times-international travel controls, restrictions on mass gatherings, and lockdown-type measures-based on the Oxford COVID-19 Government Response Tracker. We also estimated the time-varying reproduction number (R_t) for 142 countries and tracked R_t temporally for two weeks following the 100th reported case in each country. We regressed R_t on the physi

SUBMITTER: Koh WC 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7423775 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Nov

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature