Social Distancing, Mask Use, and Transmission of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2, Brazil, April–June 2020

Gonçalves, Marcelo Rodrigues; dos Reis, Rodrigo Citton Padilha; Tólio, Rodrigo Pedroso; Pellanda, Lucia Campos; Schmidt, Maria Inês; Katz, Natan; Mengue, Sotero Serrate; Hallal, Pedro C.; Horta, Bernardo L.; Silveira, Mariangela Freitas; Umpierre, Roberto Nunes; Bastos-Molina, Cynthia Goulart; Souza da Silva, Rodolfo; Duncan, Bruce B.

We assessed the associations of social distancing and mask use with symptomatic, laboratory-confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 infection in Porto Alegre, Brazil. We conducted a population-based case-control study during April–June 2020. Municipal authorities furnished case-patients, and controls were taken from representative household surveys. In adjusted logistic regression analyses of 271 case-patients and 1,396 controls, those reporting moderate to greatest adherence to social distancing had 59% (odds ratio [OR] 0.41, 95% CI 0.24–0.70) to 75% (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.15–0.42) lower odds of infection. Lesser out-of-household exposure (vs. going out every day all day) reduced odds from 52% (OR 0.48, 95% CI 0.29–0.77) to 75% (OR 0.25, 95% CI 0.18–0.36). Mask use reduced odds of infection by 87% (OR 0.13, 95% CI 0.04–0.36). In conclusion, social distancing and mask use while outside the house provided major protection against symptomatic infection.