For the last several days, President Donald Trump has become increasingly vocal in his opposition to the social distancing policies that state and local governments have put in place to slow the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic, citing concerns about their business impact. This position is utterly reckless and contradicts the universal consensus of public health and infectious diseases experts. It also ignores the reality that allowing further spread of COVID-19 will result in more damaging and longer-term economic impact than continuing with social distancing. State and local governments must continue to lead in this crisis; measures that may seem overly disruptive remain essential to protect people’s health.
The United States is still in the early stages of this pandemic. For this reason, it may seem to some as though social distancing rules are unnecessary, overly onerous, or not working. In fact, evidence from other countries shows that social distancing interventions can slow the spread of COVID-19. Beyond the international evidence of social distancing’s effectiveness, there is promising data from states that were early adopters of key social distancing policies, including bans on large gatherings and closing bars and restaurants. Together, these case studies should reassure state and local governments that they are continuing on the correct path.
Social distancing and the spread of COVID-19
Mass testing allows officials to utilize up-to-date and localized data on the disease spread, including identifying asymptomatic individuals who can then isolate themselves before they further spread the virus. In the absence of widespread testing, however, the centerpiece of the public health response to COVID-19 is social distancing. The goal of social distancing is also to prevent contagious people from coming into close contact with healthy people in order to “flatten the curve”—slowing down the spread of the virus—which in turn helps to avoid a spike in cases that overwhelms the health care system. To lessen the chances of catching COVID-19, experts recommend that people stay at least six feet away from each other. Social distancing policies include telework and business and school closures. Continue reading.