Impact of Public Health and Social Measures on the COVID-19 Pandemic in the United States and Other Countries: Descriptive Analysis

Abstract

Background The United States of America has the highest global number of COVID-19 cases and deaths, which may be due in part to delays and inconsistencies in implementing public health and social measures (PHSMs). Objective In this descriptive analysis, we analyzed the epidemiological evidence for the impact of PHSMs on COVID-19 transmission in the United States and compared these data to those for 10 other countries of varying income levels, population sizes, and geographies. Methods We compared PHSM implementation timing and stringency against COVID-19 daily case counts in the United States and against those in Canada, China, Ethiopia, Japan, Kazakhstan, New Zealand, Singapore, South Korea, Vietnam, and Zimbabwe from January 1 to November 25, 2020. We descriptively analyzed the impact of border closures, contact tracing, household confinement, mandated face masks, quarantine and isolation, school closures, limited gatherings, and states of emergency on COVID-19 case counts. We also compared the relationship between global socioeconomic indicators and national pandemic trajectories across the 11 countries. PHSMs and case count data were derived from various surveillance systems, including the Health Intervention Tracking for COVID-19 database, the World Health Organization PHSM database, and the European Centre for Disease Prevention and Control. Results Implementing a specific package of 4 PHSMs (quarantine and isolation, school closures, household confinement, and the limiting of social gatherings) early and stringently was observed to coincide with lower case counts and transmission durations in Vietnam, Zimbabwe, New Zealand, South Korea, Ethiopia, and Kazakhstan. In contrast, the United States implemented few PHSMs stringently or early and did not use this successful package. Across the 11 countries, national income positively correlated (r=0.624) with cumulative COVID-19 incidence. Conclusions Our findings suggest that early implementation, consistent execution, adequate duration, and high adherence to PHSMs represent key factors of reducing the spread of COVID-19. Although national income may be related to COVID-19 progression, a country’s wealth appears to be less important in controlling the pandemic and more important in taking rapid, centralized, and consistent public health action.

Seroprevalence to the SARS-CoV-2 Virus Among the Population of the Grodno Region of the Republic of Belarus in the Second Year of the COVID-19 Pandemic

“…До появления эффективных вакцин для предотвращения распространения вируса необходимы меры общественного здравоохранения, такие как социальное дистанцирование, изоляция и карантин. Чтобы помочь ограничить распространение COVID-19, с учетом механизмов передачи возбудителя SARS-CoV-2, были рекомендованы такие меры защиты, как частое мытье рук, недопущение прикосновения к глазам, носу или рту, соблюдение дистанции не менее 1 м между людьми и соблюдение респираторной гигиены [1,2].…”

An exploration of the political, social, economic and cultural factors affecting how different global regions initially reacted to the COVID-19 pandemic

“…Although many articles have examined what interventions were put in place and their relative effectiveness [ 25 – 27 ], there has been less written about why some interventions were used and not others by different countries, but more importantly, why some were implemented earlier in some countries than others—and also the underlying factors influencing the level of population compliance with them [ 28 ]. This article aims to identify the factors impacting on how and why the early part of the pandemic was handled differently by different countries—mostly using NPIs—and the way that governments and their populations collaborated (or not) in this, to control the spread of the virus.…”

“…These examples, in the cities of Wuhan and Hong Kong, demonstrated how effective virus control can be achieved by early and stringent public health interventions [ 28 ]. It is of note that the health authorities in China already suspected possible aerosol transmission of SARS-CoV-2 as early as 18 February 2020 [ 59 ].…”

Comparative Benefits and Risks Associated with Currently Authorized COVID-19 Vaccines

“…Several public health strategies, such as mask mandates, isolation, social distancing, and contact tracing, aimed at reducing transmission have been insufficient to stop the global rise of COVID-19 [1]. A widely available vaccine has been suggested as the most effective method to prevent the rapid spread of infections.…”