Prevention
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3. Prevention Stefano Lazzari
Introduction In the absence of an effective vaccine or antiviral treatment, prevention through public health measures remains the mainstay of SARS-COV-2 infection control and pandemic impact mitigation. Effective preventive measures for respiratory infections exist and have been standard practices for many years. However, uncertainties about the role and importance of different transmission routes in the spread of SARS-COV-2 (see chapter Transmission) complicate the selection of the most efficient and effective mix of personal and public health measures to be implemented, and of the prevention messages to be communicated to the public. The basic COVID-19 preventive strategies include: the identification and isolation of infectious cases and quarantine for suspected cases and close contacts; changes in individual behaviors including physical and social distancing, use of face masks and hand hygiene; public health measures like travel restrictions, bans on mass gatherings and localized or nationwide lockdowns when the other measures prove ineffective in halting the spread of the virus. Specific prevention measures can be simple recommendations left to the decision of the individual or mandatory measures to be implemented under control by the public health authorities. Preventive measures can therefore be applied at the personal, community or societal level. In this chapter we will review the available scientific evidence on the effectiveness of these measures in reducing the spread of SARS-COV-2.
Prevention at the personal level Good respiratory hygiene/cough etiquette. Good respiratory hygiene refers to measures aimed at containing respiratory secretions and reducing their spread in the environment or to other people (Chavis, 2019). Traditionally, they include: •
Covering your mouth and nose with a tissue or with your elbow when coughing or sneezing; and safe disposal of the tissue once used.
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Use of a surgical or tissue face mask.
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Perform hand hygiene often, and always after contact with potentially contaminated objects/materials.
COVID Reference ENG 006.9
