GlobalHealth Threats

The World Health Organization (WHO) has published a new 34-page interim guidance on the use of public health and social measures (PHSM) to reduce the spread and impact of COVID-19 whilst "keeping societies open". The updated guidance no longer relies on numeric transmission data thresholds to adjust PHSM as surveillance and testing for COVID-19 has decreased in many countries.

PHSM includes physical distancing, personal hygiene methods such as respiratory etiquette and hand hygiene, wearing masks, social regulations, surveillance measures, and international travel-related measures. The primary focus of PHSM is to reduce transmission, morbidity, and mortality of COVID-19 as well as lower the risk of impact on health systems and possibility of variants emerging.

The report also analyses the unintended consequences of PHSM that affect vulnerable and disadvantaged populations. Challenges faced by these populations included healthcare access, financial issues, provision of basic needs, communication, education and development, a need for safe places for those at risk of violence, and infrastructure and transport issues. WHO highlighted strategies to implement specific measures compatible with PHSM to protect these communities. WHO also emphasises that decisions should consider all positive and negative impacts on the individual and their society, and "escalation of PHSM should always be proportionate and commensurate with the risks and consequences it may have on other determinants of social welfare."

Other factors for consideration when implementing PHSM include assessing the transmissibility and impact of COVID-19. It is noted that due to vaccination and/or infection, there is currently widespread immunity to a degree that had not existed at the beginning of the pandemic, however, this level of immunity is not equally distributed across the globe. PHSM should be adjusted based on situational assessment as there are substantial differences between communities which affect the effectiveness and feasibility of certain measures, such as socioeconomic inequalities.

WHO stresses that at this stage, COVID-19 cannot be managed through routine public health measures without PHSM as there is still widespread transmission and a high risk of new variants emerging.