Alliance for Pandemic Preparedness
May 15, 2020
Strong Social Distancing Measures In The United States Reduced The COVID-19 Growth Rate
Category: Article Summary
Topic: Non-Pharmaceutical Interventions
- Researchers evaluated the impact of four government-imposed social distancing measures, including public school closures, bans on large social gatherings, closures of entertainment-related businesses, and shelter-in-place orders (SIPOs) on the spread of COVID-19 across US counties. They found that their combined adoption reduced the daily growth rate by 9.1% after 16-20 days of implementation.
- When considered separately, each measure was associated with a reduction in the daily growth rate, but school closures and social gathering bans did not have a significant effect, suggesting that these policies may displace rather than reduce social interactions.
Courtemanche et al. (May 14, 2020). Strong Social Distancing Measures In The United States Reduced The COVID-19 Growth Rate. Health Affairs. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00608