Non-pharmacological Interventions for Coping with COVID-19: A Rapid
Systematic Review
Abstract
Background: Non-pharmacological interventions (NPIs) remain central for
the management of COVID-19 as there are no licensed vaccines or safe and
effective antivirals to treat coronavirus yet. A rapid systematic review
reported the main publications on NPIs to cope with the global COVID-19
outbreak. Methods: The research was conducted according to the PRISMA
statement, from January 31 to March 31, 2020, in PubMed, Embase, Scopus,
and Web of Science databases. Results: A total of 26 publications were
included as comments, viewpoints, original articles, and studies on
mathematical modeling. It was published by 251 researchers and four
investigation groups from 23 countries. Conclusion: In summary, the
publications pointed out that the social isolation, staying home, social
distancing, quarantine, and contact tracing are essential and that NPIs
could be combined to cope with the COVID-19 outbreak. It is recommended
to value, intensify, and commend the efforts of countries that have
implemented NPIs as extremely bold and robust measures to contain
coronavirus disease.