Implications of Adherence to COVID-19 Mitigation

  


            Humanity has endured numerous pandemics throughout the years. Without pharmaceuticals, other protective measures had to be taken. Non-pharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) have been implemented throughout the centuries to help control the spread of infectious diseases and maintain the structure of society (Piret & Boivin, 2021). Isolation, quarantine, and border control were some NPIs deployed to mitigate the spread of disease (Piret & Boivin, 2021).

            The COVID-19 pandemic proved challenging due to many factors. One major factor that caused increased infections was the difficulty of getting people to adhere to NPI strategies. Mask-wearing social distancing and quarantines became politicized, leading to non-compliance.  This is unfortunate, as studies have shown that when mask-wearing mandates are implemented, there is a reduction in the number of new COVID-19 cases (Lyu & Wehby, 2020). The community needs to support the proposition for mask-wearing to be effective.  According to Lyu and Wehby, 2020, when mask mandates were only required for employees working in public areas, there was no evidence of declines in daily COVID-19 growth rates with employee-only mandates.

            Adherence to COVID-19 mitigation strategies is a simple sacrifice and contribution everyone should consider. NPIs are more effective with widespread support (Margraf et al., 2021). Compliance with NPI guidelines allows for a temporary limit on civil liberties for the more significant benefit of society. Wearing a mask is a minor inconvenience that can profoundly impact slowing the spread of COVID-19, lessening the duration of the pandemic, and expediting the time needed to help society return to normalcy.  Let us not forget society’s level of global cooperation during the 1918 Influenza pandemic.  Nobody was crying on social media about having to wear a mask.


References

Lyu, W., & Wehby, G. L. (2020). Community use of face masks and covid-19: Evidence from a natural experiment of state mandates in the us. Health Affairs, 39(8), 1419–1425. https://doi.org/10.1377/hlthaff.2020.00818

Margraf, J., Brailovskaia, J., & Schneider, S. (2021). Adherence to behavioral covid-19 mitigation measures strongly predicts mortality. PLOS ONE, 16(3), e0249392. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0249392

Piret, J., & Boivin, G. (2021). Pandemics throughout history. Frontiers in Microbiology, 11. https://doi.org/10.3389/fmicb.2020.631736

 

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