What are the effects of quarantine for close contacts of people with confirmed COVID19?, Cochrane Clinical Answers

Reviewers conducted a rapid review of the evidence on quarantine for close contacts of people with confirmed COVID ‐19 (plus isolation of the infected individual) and identified one observational study conducted in Singapore, along with eight modeling studies based on data collected from China, Singapore, the UK, the cruise ship Diamond Princess, or generic populations. Studies reported that quarantine for clo se contacts decreased the incidence of COVID‐19, mortality, and resource use (such as hospitalization and numbers of doctors and nurses needed in intensive care units). Reviewers rated the certainty of all evidence based on COVID‐19 outbreaks as low to very low. Reviewers identified th ree retrospective cohort studies that used data gathered during the severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) outbreaks in Beijing and Taiwan in 2003 and 15 modeling studies that used data from SARS and Middle East respiratory syndrome (MERS) outbreaks in Canada, China, Hong Kong, Japan, Korea, Singa pore, and Taiwan. Three retrospective analyses from SARS outbreaks in Beijing and Taiwan reported that rates of SARS were highest among spouses and other relatives of the infected individual; incidence among work and school contacts and friends was low. Modeling studies that combined data from the S ARS and MERS outbreaks consistently reported that quarantine was an effective measure to control outbreaks. Reviewers rated the certainty of all evidence based on SARS outbreaks as lo...
Source: Current Awareness Service for Health (CASH) - Category: Consumer Health News Source Type: news