Social Distancing May Be Needed Until 2022, According to Study
Life as we know it has been changed by the coronavirus pandemic. Though that may seem like an exaggeration, a new study says current practices—social distancing, specifically—need to last until 2022.
Researchers at Harvard’s T.H. Chan School of Public Health published the findings in the academic journal Science on Tuesday. And according to them, to keep COVID-19 in check, social distancing needs to be implemented in the absence of new therapies or other preventive measures.
"Social distancing strategies could reduce the extent to which SARS-CoV-2 infections strain health care systems," the study says. "Highly-effective distancing could reduce SARS-CoV-2 incidence enough to make a strategy based on contact tracing and quarantine feasible, as in South Korea and Singapore."
The researchers added: "Less effective one-time distancing efforts may result in a prolonged single-peak epidemic, with the extent of strain on the healthcare system and the required duration of distancing depending on the effectiveness."
That said, the scientists say they're aware of the implications of prolonged social distancing economically, socially, and educationally. While even going as far as saying that they don't take a position on the advisability of it all.
They do warn that without social distancing, a "potentially catastrophic burden" can be predicted for the healthcare system.
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