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Abstract

Background

During the COVID-19 pandemic, many countries have implemented physical distancing measures to reduce transmission of SARS-CoV-2.

Aim

To measure the actual reduction of contacts when physical distancing measures are implemented.

Methods

A cross-sectional survey was carried out in the Netherlands in 2016–17, in which participants reported the number and age of their contacts the previous day. The survey was repeated among a subsample of the participants in April 2020, after strict physical distancing measures were implemented, and in an extended sample in June 2020, after some measures were relaxed.

Results

The average number of community contacts per day was reduced from 14.9 (interquartile range (IQR): 4–20) in the 2016–17 survey to 3.5 (IQR: 0–4) after strict physical distancing measures were implemented, and rebounded to 8.8 (IQR: 1–10) after some measures were relaxed. All age groups restricted their community contacts to at most 5, on average, after strict physical distancing measures were implemented. In children, the number of community contacts reverted to baseline levels after measures were eased, while individuals aged 70 years and older had less than half their baseline levels.

Conclusion

Strict physical distancing measures greatly reduced overall contact numbers, which likely contributed to curbing the first wave of the COVID-19 epidemic in the Netherlands. However, age groups reacted differently when measures were relaxed, with children reverting to normal contact numbers and elderly individuals maintaining restricted contact numbers. These findings offer guidance for age-targeted measures in future waves of the pandemic.

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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
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2021-02-25
2024-12-03
http://instance.metastore.ingenta.com/content/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.8.2000994
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Impact of physical distancing measures against COVID-19 on contacts and mixing patterns: repeated cross-sectional surveys, the Netherlands, 2016–17, April 2020 and June 2020
<p class="citation"> <span>Citation style for this article:</span> <span class="meta-value authors"> <a href="/search?value1=Jantien+A+Backer&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Backer Jantien A</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Liesbeth+Mollema&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Mollema Liesbeth</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Eric+RA+Vos&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Vos Eric RA</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Don+Klinkenberg&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Klinkenberg Don</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Fiona+RM+van+der+Klis&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van der Klis Fiona RM</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Hester+E+de+Melker&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">de Melker Hester E</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Susan+van+den+Hof&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">van den Hof Susan</a>, <a href="/search?value1=Jacco+Wallinga&option1=author&noRedirect=true" class="nonDisambigAuthorLink">Wallinga Jacco</a></span>. Impact of physical distancing measures against COVID-19 on contacts and mixing patterns: repeated cross-sectional surveys, the Netherlands, 2016–17, April 2020 and June 2020. <a href="/content/ecdc">Euro Surveill.</a> 2021;26(8):pii=2000994. <a href="https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.8.2000994" title="doi link" target="_blank">https://doi.org/10.2807/1560-7917.ES.2021.26.8.2000994</a> <span class="ES_Article_citation"> <span class="generated">Received</span>: 21 May 2020;&nbsp;&nbsp; <span class="generated">Accepted</span>: 27 Oct 2020 </span> </p>
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