COVID-19 environmental transmission and preventive public health measures

Abstract

With new COVID‐19 cases decreased to very low levels in most parts of Australia, although persisting in a number of hotspots – mainly in the state of Victoria – and increasing in some other countries such as Brazil, it is time to reflect on the effectiveness and unintended consequences of public health measures taken so far at home and overseas to prevent transmission, and to identify challenges ahead.

Extensive testing, contact tracing, and individual‐case and community containment, in addition to travel bans and social distancing, have largely succeeded in curbing COVID‐19 infections in Australia. Strict lockdowns prevented widespread community transmission, albeit at very high economic cost. The imposed restrictions changed daily activity patterns and behaviours that also brought improvements in other areas. Greenhouse gas emissions declined, and ambient air and potentially surface water quality improved in many cities, mainly because of reduced road traffic and industrial activity. Influenza cases were suppressed as a result of social distancing, better hand hygiene and home schooling. Some of these changes are likely to be transient, as economic and social activities are progressively increasing in most areas. However, we can draw some important public health learnings from the response to the pandemic that will help us reduce the risk of a resurgence of COVID‐19 and strengthen disease prevention against a whole range of other pathogens in the long term.