The purpose of this report from the Royal
Society is to assess what has been learnt
about the effectiveness of the application of
non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) during
the COVID-19 pandemic of 2020 – 2023 by
assembling and examining evidence from
researchers around the world. These NPIs
were a set of measures
aimed at reducing the person-to-person
transmission of severe acute respiratory
syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2),
the virus that caused the pandemic. NPIs included the wearing of masks and
enhanced personal hygiene measures,
including enhanced surface cleaning
and handwashing. Social distancing was
introduced and enforced to variable extents.
Social distancing measures included closures
of schools and workplaces, as well as
entertainment, leisure and sporting venues.
These closures were often augmented by stay-at-home orders for all but essential workers.
Border controls and closures were put in place
in many countries with the aim of reducing the
movement of cases across national borders.
The precise measures, and the ways they
were implemented, varied between countries
according to their social and political-economic
contexts and prior experiences.
In most of the world, NPIs remained the
dominant mechanism for control of the
pandemic until well into its second year.
The report is non-judgemental on the timing
and manner in which NPIs were applied
in different regions and countries around
the world. It focuses on understanding the
impact of NPIs on SARS-CoV-2 transmission
and makes no assessment of the economic or
other societal impacts of the different NPIs.
This report has been produced by a group
of expert scientists, led by Sir Mark Walport, convened by the
Royal Society, independently from the UK
Government or that of any other country.
Authors
- Published in
- United Kingdom
