The Spanish multicenter research, led by the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII), provides new data confirming that the increase in the restrictions imposed to control the pandemic was associated with a significant reduction in the transmission of the coronavirus
We have almost forgotten that just a couple of years ago we lived pending perimeter closures, queues at shops due to social distancing or having to go to the gym with a mask.
The restrictions imposed by the pandemic were criticized by many who did not trust their usefulness. But scientists pointed to them as the only way to prevent massive transmission of the virus. SARS-CoV-2.
And despite the doubts raised by such measures, a multicenter Spanish investigation, led from the Carlos III Health Institute (ISCIII)provides new data confirming that the increase in the restrictions imposed to control the pandemic was associated with a significant reduction in the transmission of COVID-19 in Spain.
The authors, led by the researcher from the National Epidemiology Center of the ISCIII Susan Mongeconfirm that the use of preventive measures and restrictions made it possible to reduce the transmission of the virus and the incidence of the disease.
In addition, they have been able to establish an estimate of the extent to which the intensity of these measures defines how much transmission was reduced. Thus, the statistical calculations they have carried out indicate that increasing the intensity of the measures by 34% managed to reduce transmission by 22% weekly.
These percentages have been estimated thanks to the application of an index that measures the intensity of the restrictive measures used in combination, which represents the intensity in a gradation of 0 and 1, analyzing different variables: the application of the measures on a day-to-day basis , the different areas of use and their use by provinces.
Social distance and limitation of capacity, the most effective measures
The job, published in the journal Frontiers in Public Healthcollects information on all the restriction measures imposed in Spain from the beginning of the second wave in September 2020, until the end of the second state of alarm in May 2021, at the provincial level and also including the measures on municipalities.
We are talking about the closure of cultural and commercial activities, capacity limitations in indoor places (restaurants, museums, places of worship, cinemas, bars, gyms, etc…), limited hours, reduction in the number of people at family gatherings, touches curfew or perimeter closures.
Well, the results of the study indicate that the measures taken in social distance and control of the capacity of bars and restaurants, especially indoors, are especially effective.
On the other hand, the effect is less clear for other restrictive measures, such as those applied in places of leisure, culture and worship, religious celebrations or indoor sports practice areas.
The authors emphasize that the effect obtained with the measures applied in some areas compared to others must be interpreted with caution, since these measures were applied in different areas simultaneously, in general, which makes their joint analysis more complex.
A lesson learned for the future
In addition to analyzing the relationship between the intensity of the measures and the incidence of COVID-19, the project team has made all the information collected on the web available to the public. https://npispain.org/ “to stimulate and facilitate research into the effects of the restriction measures and to be able to have greater knowledge about their impact, something essential to face possible similar situations in the future,” the authors explain.
Because studies like this not only confirm the effectiveness of the different measures carried out to contain the transmission of the coronavirus, but also very important conclusions can be drawn for the implementation of protocols or guidelines in the event that we have to face a new outbreak of Covid-19 or the emergence of a new pandemic.
The study has been carried out by a team from the ISCIII in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Economic Affairs and Digital Transformation and the Universities of A Coruña, Cádiz and Complutense de Madrid.
In addition, the research has been carried out in coordination with the Spanish Mathematics Committee (CEMat), which under the initiative of the Mathematical Action against Coronavirus has had close collaboration with the Ministry of Health and the ISCIII during the COVID pandemic. -19.