Public Health – Introduction

The topic area „Public Health“ is concerned with population-wide, non-pharmaceutical measures, also referred to as public health and social measures, to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. This topic area is worked on jointly by researchers from the Ludwig-Maximilians-Universität in Munich (LMU Munich), the University Medical Center Freiburg and the University Medical Center Mainz.

Priority topics were developed in an exchange with national stakeholders and the World Health Organization and priority questions further refined in consultation with Cochrane. Priority topics identified are pandemic-related measures for international travel, in schools and in long-term care facilities.

In addressing these priority topics, we follow a structured process:

• Step 1: Systematic examination and overview of the existing literature on the measures.
• Step 2: Systematic assessment of the effectiveness and the adverse health effects and broader unintended consequences of the measures.
• Step 3: Support of national or international decision-making processes through direct or indirect input of the insights gained in the form of evidence briefs or guidelines.

Update:

• The updated Cochrane review on international travel-related control measures was published on March 25, 2021. The most important results are summarised in this evidence brief (in German).
• The Cochrane review on measures to protect residents of long-term care facilities from COVID-19 was published on September 15, 2021

CEOsys plans to update the Cochrane rapid reviews and guidelines on a regular basis.

Lead: Eva Rehfuess, LMU Munich
Co-lead: Lukas Schwingshackl, University Medical Center Freiburg

Public Health – Topics

Travel-related control measures to contain the COVID-19 pandemic

• Evidence map of travel-related control measures
• Living Cochrane rapid review on the effectiveness of international travel-related control measures
• Scoping review on the unintended consequences of international travel measures
• Evidence brief (in German)
• Evidence base for WHO recommendations (in progress)
• Research recommendations (publication)