Social distancing measures to control the COVID-19 pandemic: Potential impacts and challenges in Brazil

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic has chal-lenged researchers and policy makers to identify public safety measures forpreventing the collapse of healthcare systems and reducingdeaths. This narrative review summarizes the available evidence on the impact of social distancing measures on the epidemic and discusses the implementation of these measures in Brazil. Articles on the effect of social distancing on COVID-19 were selected from the PubMed, medRXiv and bioRvix data-bases. Federal and state legislation was analyzed to summarize the strategies implemented in Bra-zil. Social distancing measures adopted by the population appear effective, particularly when implemented in conjunction with the isolation of cases and quarantining of contacts. Therefore, social distancing measures, and social protection policies to guarantee the sustainability of these measures, should be implemented. To control COVID-19 in Brazil, it is also crucial that epide-miological monitoring is strengthened at all three levels of the Brazilian National Health System (SUS). This includes evaluating and usingsupple-mentary indicators to monitor the progression of the pandemic and the effect of the control mea-sures, increasing testing capacity, and making dis-aggregated notificationsand testing resultstrans-parentand broadly available.