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Abstract

Background

A multi-tiered surveillance system based on influenza surveillance was adopted in the United Kingdom in the early stages of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) epidemic to monitor different stages of the disease. Mandatory social and physical distancing measures (SPDM) were introduced on 23 March 2020 to attempt to limit transmission.

Aim

To describe the impact of SPDM on COVID-19 activity as detected through the different surveillance systems.

Methods

Data from national population surveys, web-based indicators, syndromic surveillance, sentinel swabbing, respiratory outbreaks, secondary care admissions and mortality indicators from the start of the epidemic to week 18 2020 were used to identify the timing of peaks in surveillance indicators relative to the introduction of SPDM. This timing was compared with median time from symptom onset to different stages of illness and levels of care or interactions with healthcare services.

Results

The impact of SPDM was detected within 1 week through population surveys, web search indicators and sentinel swabbing reported by onset date. There were detectable impacts on syndromic surveillance indicators for difficulty breathing, influenza-like illness and COVID-19 coding at 2, 7 and 12 days respectively, hospitalisations and critical care admissions (both 12 days), laboratory positivity (14 days), deaths (17 days) and nursing home outbreaks (4 weeks).

Conclusion

The impact of SPDM on COVID-19 activity was detectable within 1 week through community surveillance indicators, highlighting their importance in early detection of changes in activity. Community swabbing surveillance may be increasingly important as a specific indicator, should circulation of seasonal respiratory viruses increase.

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2021-03-18
2024-12-22
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The impact of social and physical distancing measures on COVID-19 activity in England: findings from a multi-tiered surveillance system
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Jamie+Lopez+Bernal&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Bernal Jamie Lopez</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mary+A+Sinnathamby&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Sinnathamby Mary A</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Suzanne+Elgohari&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Elgohari Suzanne</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Hongxin+Zhao&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Zhao Hongxin</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Chinelo+Obi&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Obi Chinelo</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Laura+Coughlan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Coughlan Laura</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Vasileios+Lampos&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Lampos Vasileios</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Ruth+Simmons&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Simmons Ruth</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Elise+Tessier&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Tessier Elise</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Helen+Campbell&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Campbell Helen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Suzanna+McDonald&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">McDonald Suzanna</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Joanna+Ellis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ellis Joanna</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Helen+Hughes&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Hughes Helen</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gillian+Smith&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Smith Gillian</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mark+Joy&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Joy Mark</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Manasa+Tripathy&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Tripathy Manasa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Rachel+Byford&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Byford Rachel</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Filipa+Ferreira&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ferreira Filipa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Simon+de+Lusignan&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Lusignan Simon</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Maria+Zambon&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Zambon Maria</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gavin+Dabrera&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Dabrera Gavin</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Kevin+Brown&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Brown Kevin</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Vanessa+Saliba&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Saliba Vanessa</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Nick+Andrews&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Andrews Nick</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Gayatri+Amirthalingam&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Amirthalingam Gayatri</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Sema+Mandal&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mandal Sema</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Michael+Edelstein&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Edelstein Michael</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Alex+J+Elliot&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Elliot Alex J</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Mary+Ramsay&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Ramsay Mary</a></span>. The impact of social and physical distancing measures on COVID-19 activity in England: findings from a multi-tiered surveillance system. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2021;26(11):pii=2001062. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.11.2001062" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.11.2001062</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 29 May 2020;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 21 Oct 2020 </span> </p>
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