Many institutions, including our own, are turning to online teaching and educational platforms, many of which rely on synchronous videoconferencing ( 14). Of significant concern is the disruption to education and training, with The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization estimating that 87.6% of enrolled learners have been affected by the pandemic ( 13). investigated the efficacy of social distancing on the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic and determined a projective reduction in median infection rates of 24% by the end of 2020 following a staggered return to work commencing at the beginning of April 2020 ( 11).ĭespite the demonstrated efficacy of social distancing measures, their use imposes significant economic costs and psychosocial challenges ( 8, 12). A modelling study conducted by Prem et al. Their efficacy has not only been shown in clinical studies but also in simulations and pandemic models ( 9, 10).
Such techniques for the control of communicable diseases are not novel and have been successfully employed in previous outbreaks, notably the 1918 H1N1 pandemic and the 2003 SARS pandemic ( 5- 8). The novelty of the virus accompanied by its asymptomatic transmission and lack of a current treatment or vaccine highlights the importance of self-isolation to reduce global infection rates ( 2- 4).
A concerted international response to the outbreak has focused on social distancing and quarantine measures through the closure of schools, workplaces, and community centers, in addition to household isolation, as a means of limiting human-to-human transmission and disease progression, thereby reducing the strain on the healthcare system. The ongoing severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) pandemic and the associated coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have had profound global and personal implications, with 5,701,337 confirmed cases and 357,688 confirmed deaths across 213 countries, areas, and territories at the time of writing ( 1).
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