The effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions in containing epidemics: a rapid review of the literature and quantitative assessment

Jane Cheatley; Sabine Vuik; Marion Devaux; Stefano Scarpetta; Mark Pearson; Francesca Colombo; Michele Cecchini

Social distancing refers to policies that deliberately increase physical space between people (John Hopkins Medicine, 2020 [1] ). Such policies come in many forms including banning large gatherings; encouraging people to work from home; and closure of nonessential stores such as restaurants and cafes. These policies may be implemented across a community or target specific at-risk groups such as the elderly and those with pre-existing health conditions (Anderson et al., 2020[2] ). The primary objective of social distancing is to prevent transmission thereby flattening the peak of the disease (Anderson et al., 2020[2] ). In the short-term this will ease pressure on the health care system, while in the long-term it provides time for new treatment and vaccines to be developed (Anderson et al., 2020[2] ).