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   Study: COVID-19 Transmission Rebounds Quickly After Physical Distancing
   Rules Relaxed
   2020-10-13 18:10:00
   Jill Murphy, Assistant Editor
   Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) reported that
   the relaxation of statewide physical distancing measures that are
   designed to control the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic
   frequently resulted in an immediate reversal of public health gains
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   Data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia showed a gradual,
   steady decline in viral transmission rates during the 8 weeks
   immediately preceding relaxation of physical distancing rules. Almost
   immediately after rules were relaxed, most states reversed course.
   Further, 8 weeks after restrictions were lifted or loosened, only 9 of
   the 50 states and the District of Columbia still had low rates of
   transmission, according to the study.
   Previously, investigators reported that statewide physical distancing
   measures were associated with a reduction in the growth rate of
   COVID-19 cases in the United States and a short-term reduction in
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   The researchers used data from state governments and third-party
   sources, in addition to regression modeling, to estimate the extent to
   which relaxation of physical distancing measures affected control of
   COVID-19, expressed as a value represented by the number Rt.
   "Rt is the average number of people each person with COVID-19 will
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   leading up to relaxation of restrictions, with 46 of the 51
   jurisdictions studied achieving a Rt below 1 while the measures were in
   place. After physical distancing regulations were relaxed, the
   transmission rate increased by an average of 0.007 units per day.
   The average Rt was 1.16 after 8 weeks into the relaxation period, and
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   according to the study authors.
   "The hope was that these measures would lead to sustained changes in
   behavior: mask wearing and physical distancing,” Siedner said in a
   press release. “These data do not give us hope. Until a vaccine is
   available, these measures are proving to be the most effective
   solutions to contain epidemic hotspots."
   REFERENCE
   COVID-19 transmission rebounds quickly after physical distancing rules
   are relaxed. EurekAlert!
   https://eurekalert.org/pub_releases/2020-10/mgh-ctr100520.php.
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   Study: COVID-19 Transmission Rebounds Quickly After Physical Distancing
   Rules Relaxed
   Data from all 50 states and the District of Columbia showed a gradual,
   steady decline in viral transmission rates during the 8 weeks
   immediately preceding relaxation of physical distancing rules.
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