Comparing Associations of State Reopening Strategies with COVID-19 Burden
Online: https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11606-020-06277-0
PDF: https://link.springer.com/content/pdf/10.1007/s11606-020-06277-0.pdf
Comparing Associations of State Reopening Strategies with COVID-19 Burden
Brystana G. Kaufman PhD, Rebecca Whitaker PhD, Nirosha Mahendraratnam Lederer PhD, Valerie A. Lewis DrPH & Mark B. McClellan MD, PhD
Journal of General Internal Medicine (2020)
Abstract
Background
The novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) infected over 5 million United States (US) residents resulting in more than 180,000 deaths by August 2020. To mitigate transmission, most states ordered shelter-in-place orders in March and reopening strategies varied.
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Conclusions
Additional mitigation measures such as mask use counteract the potential growth in COVID-19 cases and deaths due to reopening businesses. This study contributes to the growing evidence that mask usage is essential for mitigating community transmission of COVID-19. States should delay further reopening until mask mandates are fully implemented, and enforcement by local businesses will be critical for preventing potential future closures.
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