Globally, the COVID‐19 pandemic has necessitated strict practices to curb potential transmission, with widespread upheaval of health, economic and political systems. Infection control precautions have been extrapolated from viruses with similar transmission dynamics, with low to moderate quality supporting data. 1
A meta‐analysis commissioned by the World Health Organization, reviewed 172 observational studies on preventative measures for transmission of SARS‐CoV‐2 (Fig. 1) and related coronaviruses (SARS‐CoV and MERS‐CoV) in health‐care and community settings. 2 Their analysis showed physical distancing of ≥1 m confers an 82% risk reduction for viral transmission, compared to a physical distance of <1 m (pooled adjusted odds ratio (aOR) 0.18, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.09–0.38), with a halving of transmission risk for each additional metre. The use of face masks was associated with an 85% reduction in transmission risk (aOR 0.15, 95% CI 0.07–0.34); P2/N95 respirators may provide better protection than surgical masks (P = 0.09). Eye protection was associated with a 78% lower risk of transmission (aOR 0.22, 95% CI 0.12–0.39). There were no randomised controlled trials and most of the evidence was from health‐care settings, so extrapolation of these findings, for example to public wearing of face masks, should be cautious and should depend on rates of community transmission. 3
Fig 1.
SARS‐CoV‐2.
Reviewers: Ji Hyun Moon, JiHyun.Moon@health.nsw.gov.au, Department of General Paediatrics, and Annaleise Howard‐Jones, Annaleise.Howard-Jones@health.nsw.gov.au, Department of Infectious Diseases & Microbiology, The Children's Hospital at Westmead, Westmead NSW 2145
edited by Craig Mellis (craig.mellis@sydney.edu.au)
References
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