COVID-19: examining the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions

COVID-19: examining the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs), when applied in packages that combine a number of measures with complementary effects, were unequivocally effective in reducing the spread of infections during the COVID-19 pandemic, a major Royal Society report has found. NPIs are measures that are not drugs or vaccines aimed at reducing transmission of an infectious disease.

The report, COVID-19: examining the effectiveness of non-pharmaceutical interventions, reviewed the scientific evidence gathered during the pandemic for six groups of NPIs and their effectiveness in reducing transmission of the SARS-CoV-2 virus: masks and face coverings; social distancing and ‘lockdowns; test, trace and isolate; travel restrictions and controls across international borders; environmental controls; and communications.