Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review
Background: Physical distancing is an infection prevention and control (IPC) intervention and public health and social measure (PHSM) aimed at reducing respiratory infections. However, the optimal distance for preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmissi...
Saved in:
| Main Authors: | , , , , , , , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
AOSIS
2025-03-01
|
| Series: | Journal of Public Health in Africa |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/611 |
| Tags: |
Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
|
| _version_ | 1850194199058579456 |
|---|---|
| author | Ekpereonne B. Esu Ehimario U. Igumbor Anthony T. Okoro Patience O. Idiege Kelechi Meremikwu Angela E. Oyo-Ita Kathleen A. Dunn Hannah H. Hurwitz Martin M. Meremikwu |
| author_facet | Ekpereonne B. Esu Ehimario U. Igumbor Anthony T. Okoro Patience O. Idiege Kelechi Meremikwu Angela E. Oyo-Ita Kathleen A. Dunn Hannah H. Hurwitz Martin M. Meremikwu |
| author_sort | Ekpereonne B. Esu |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Background: Physical distancing is an infection prevention and control (IPC) intervention and public health and social measure (PHSM) aimed at reducing respiratory infections. However, the optimal distance for preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission remains uncertain.
Aim: This study aimed to determine whether a distance of 1 m is optimal for reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
Setting: Community and healthcare settings.
Methods: The Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed and Embase were searched for studies conducted in community, healthcare and other defined settings between 01 January 2020 and 07 September 2022. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the ROBINS-I tool. This study is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022355706).
Results: One retrospective cohort study enrolled 242 school districts in Massachusetts, United States, which included 537 336 students and 99 390 staff attending in-person instruction between September 2020 and January 2021. No significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 cases were observed among both groups for students (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]: 0.904; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.616–1.325) and staff (aIRR: 1.015; 95% CI: 0.754–1.366).
Conclusion: In this sole study, SARS-CoV-2 cases were similar regardless of physical distance (1 metre vs 2 metres), although they studied a limited number of events. Physical distancing was part of a broader set of mitigation measures employed in the study setting; including consistent mask use.
Contribution: The effectiveness of physical distancing against SARS-CoV-2 infection is significantly influenced by mask use, thus its impact on physical distancing effectiveness cannot be separated. Further studies are needed to increase the certainty of the evidence. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-877b22a500dc44e5ad3a605c2b6046ed |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 2038-9922 2038-9930 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-03-01 |
| publisher | AOSIS |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Journal of Public Health in Africa |
| spelling | doaj-art-877b22a500dc44e5ad3a605c2b6046ed2025-08-20T02:14:03ZengAOSISJournal of Public Health in Africa2038-99222038-99302025-03-01162e1e910.4102/jphia.v16i2.611817Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid reviewEkpereonne B. Esu0Ehimario U. Igumbor1Anthony T. Okoro2Patience O. Idiege3Kelechi Meremikwu4Angela E. Oyo-Ita5Kathleen A. Dunn6Hannah H. Hurwitz7Martin M. Meremikwu8Cochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Department of Public Health, Faculty of Allied Medical Sciences, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, CalabarCentre for Infectious Disease Research, Nigerian Institute of Medical Research, LagosDepartment of Computer Science, University of Calabar, Calabar Cross River Health and Demographic Surveillance System, University of Calabar, CalabarUniversity of Calabar Teaching Hospital, CalabarKeck Medical Center, University of Southern California, Los AngelesCochrane Nigeria, Institute of Tropical Diseases Research and Prevention, University of Calabar Teaching Hospital, Calabar Department of Community Medicine, Faculty of Medicine, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, CalabarWorld Health Organization, Geneva, Switzerland Public Health Agency of Canada, OttawaWorld Health Organization, GenevaDepartment of Paediatrics, College of Medical Sciences, University of Calabar, CalabarBackground: Physical distancing is an infection prevention and control (IPC) intervention and public health and social measure (PHSM) aimed at reducing respiratory infections. However, the optimal distance for preventing severe acute respiratory syndrome-related coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) transmission remains uncertain. Aim: This study aimed to determine whether a distance of 1 m is optimal for reducing SARS-CoV-2 transmission. Setting: Community and healthcare settings. Methods: The Central Register of Controlled Trials, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, PubMed and Embase were searched for studies conducted in community, healthcare and other defined settings between 01 January 2020 and 07 September 2022. The quality of the evidence was assessed with the ROBINS-I tool. This study is registered on PROSPERO (CRD42022355706). Results: One retrospective cohort study enrolled 242 school districts in Massachusetts, United States, which included 537 336 students and 99 390 staff attending in-person instruction between September 2020 and January 2021. No significant differences in SARS-CoV-2 cases were observed among both groups for students (adjusted incidence rate ratio [aIRR]: 0.904; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.616–1.325) and staff (aIRR: 1.015; 95% CI: 0.754–1.366). Conclusion: In this sole study, SARS-CoV-2 cases were similar regardless of physical distance (1 metre vs 2 metres), although they studied a limited number of events. Physical distancing was part of a broader set of mitigation measures employed in the study setting; including consistent mask use. Contribution: The effectiveness of physical distancing against SARS-CoV-2 infection is significantly influenced by mask use, thus its impact on physical distancing effectiveness cannot be separated. Further studies are needed to increase the certainty of the evidence.https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/611physical distancingsars-cov-2covid-19systematic reviewrapid review |
| spellingShingle | Ekpereonne B. Esu Ehimario U. Igumbor Anthony T. Okoro Patience O. Idiege Kelechi Meremikwu Angela E. Oyo-Ita Kathleen A. Dunn Hannah H. Hurwitz Martin M. Meremikwu Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review Journal of Public Health in Africa physical distancing sars-cov-2 covid-19 systematic review rapid review |
| title | Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review |
| title_full | Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review |
| title_fullStr | Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review |
| title_full_unstemmed | Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review |
| title_short | Physical distancing for reducing and mitigating COVID-19 transmission: A rapid review |
| title_sort | physical distancing for reducing and mitigating covid 19 transmission a rapid review |
| topic | physical distancing sars-cov-2 covid-19 systematic review rapid review |
| url | https://publichealthinafrica.org/index.php/jphia/article/view/611 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT ekpereonnebesu physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT ehimariouigumbor physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT anthonytokoro physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT patienceoidiege physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT kelechimeremikwu physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT angelaeoyoita physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT kathleenadunn physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT hannahhhurwitz physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview AT martinmmeremikwu physicaldistancingforreducingandmitigatingcovid19transmissionarapidreview |