Physical interventions to interrupt or reduce the spread of respiratory viruses: systematic review

摘要

STUDY QUESTION How effective are physical interventions in interrupting or reducing the spread of respiratory viruses? SUMMARY ANSWER Handwashing, personal hygiene, social distancing, and barrier interventions (masks, respirators, gowns, gloves, and goggles) were effective against all forms of acute respiratory tract infections. They work against all viruses and all year round. We searched The Cochrane Library, Medline, OldMedline, Embase, and CINAHL, without restrictions on language or publication type, for any intervention to prevent viral transmission of respiratory viruses (isolation, quarantine, social distancing, barriers, personal protection, and hygiene). We included randomised trials and cohort, case-control, crossover, before and after, and time series studies that compared physical interventions with each other or with standard practice.