A solution scan of societal options to reduce transmission and spread of respiratory viruses: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study

William J Sutherland^{1

2}, Nigel G Taylor³, David C Aldridge^{1

2}, Philip Martin^{1

2}, Catherine Rhodes^{1

4}, Gorm Shackelford^{1

2}, Simon Beard⁴, Haydn Belfield⁴, Andrew J Bladon², Cameron Brick⁵, Alec P Christie^{1

2}, Andrew P Dobson⁶, Harriet Downey², Amelia S C Hood², Fangyuan Hua⁷, Alice C Hughes⁸, Rebecca M Jarvis⁹, Douglas MacFarlane¹⁰, William H Morgan², Anne-Christine Mupepele¹¹, Stefan J Marciniak¹², Cassidy Nelson¹³, Seán Ó hÉigeartaigh⁴, Clarissa Rios Rojas⁴, Katherine A Sainsbury¹⁴, Rebecca K Smith², Lalitha S Sundaram⁴, Ann Thornton², John Watkins¹⁵, Thomas B White², Kate Willott², Silviu O Petrovan²

Affiliations

¹ BioRISC (Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's), St Catharine's College, Cambridge CB2 1RL, UK.
² Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK.
³ Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, 13200 Arles, France.
⁴ Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, CB2 1SB, UK.
⁵ Department of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129 B, 1018 WT Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 117 Eno Hall, Princeton University, NJ 08544, USA.
⁷ Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China.
⁸ Centre for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan 666303, PR China.
⁹ Te Kura Pūtaiao - School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹⁰ School of Psychological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley WA 6009, Australia.
¹¹ Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Germany.
¹² Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK.
¹³ Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1PT, UK.
¹⁴ Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, 2-130V Van Vliet 21 Complex (University Hall), Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H9, Canada.
¹⁵ Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK.

PMID: 34541465
PMCID: PMC8440234
DOI: 10.1016/j.jobb.2021.08.003

A solution scan of societal options to reduce transmission and spread of respiratory viruses: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study

William J Sutherland et al. J Biosaf Biosecur. 2021 Dec.

. 2021 Dec;3(2):84-90.

doi: 10.1016/j.jobb.2021.08.003. Epub 2021 Sep 15.

Authors

Affiliations

¹ BioRISC (Biosecurity Research Initiative at St Catharine's), St Catharine's College, Cambridge CB2 1RL, UK.
² Department of Zoology, University of Cambridge, The David Attenborough Building, Pembroke Street, Cambridge CB2 3QZ, UK.
³ Tour du Valat, Research Institute for the Conservation of Mediterranean Wetlands, 13200 Arles, France.
⁴ Centre for the Study of Existential Risk, University of Cambridge, CB2 1SB, UK.
⁵ Department of Social Psychology, University of Amsterdam, Nieuwe Achtergracht 129 B, 1018 WT Amsterdam, Netherlands.
⁶ Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology, 117 Eno Hall, Princeton University, NJ 08544, USA.
⁷ Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, PR China.
⁸ Centre for Integrative Conservation, Xishuangbanna Tropical Botanical Garden, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Xishuangbanna, Yunnan 666303, PR China.
⁹ Te Kura Pūtaiao - School of Science, Auckland University of Technology, Auckland, New Zealand.
¹⁰ School of Psychological Sciences, University of Western Australia, Perth, 35 Stirling Hwy, Crawley WA 6009, Australia.
¹¹ Nature Conservation and Landscape Ecology, Biometry and Environmental System Analysis, University of Freiburg, Germany.
¹² Cambridge Institute for Medical Research, University of Cambridge, Cambridge Biomedical Campus, The Keith Peters Building, Hills Road, Cambridge CB2 0XY, UK.
¹³ Future of Humanity Institute, University of Oxford, Oxford OX1 1PT, UK.
¹⁴ Faculty of Kinesiology, Sport, and Recreation, University of Alberta, 2-130V Van Vliet 21 Complex (University Hall), Edmonton, Alberta T6G 2H9, Canada.
¹⁵ Division of Population Medicine, School of Medicine, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF14 4YS, UK.

PMID: 34541465
PMCID: PMC8440234
DOI: 10.1016/j.jobb.2021.08.003

Abstract

Societal biosecurity - measures built into everyday society to minimize risks from pests and diseases - is an important aspect of managing epidemics and pandemics. We aimed to identify societal options for reducing the transmission and spread of respiratory viruses. We used SARS-CoV-2 (severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2) as a case study to meet the immediate need to manage the COVID-19 pandemic and eventually transition to more normal societal conditions, and to catalog options for managing similar pandemics in the future. We used a 'solution scanning' approach. We read the literature; consulted psychology, public health, medical, and solution scanning experts; crowd-sourced options using social media; and collated comments on a preprint. Here, we present a list of 519 possible measures to reduce SARS-CoV-2 transmission and spread. We provide a long list of options for policymakers and businesses to consider when designing biosecurity plans to combat SARS-CoV-2 and similar pathogens in the future. We also developed an online application to help with this process. We encourage testing of actions, documentation of outcomes, revisions to the current list, and the addition of further options.

Keywords: Biosecurity; COVID-19; Coronavirus; Disease control; New normal; Public health.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper.

Figures

**Fig. 1**
A process for creating evidence-based guidance and plans, including biosecurity plans for SARS-CoV-2. Solution scanning is an initial stage for generating a reasonably comprehensive set of options for consideration. Next, research evidence is rigorously reviewed, and models are created based on the available evidence. Guidance and plans combine research with values, knowledge, and experience to provide the information needed for appropriate action. Action should ideally lead to feedback on the adopted options, including their practicality, effectiveness, and off-target effects.

See this image and copyright information in PMC

References

1. World Economic Forum. The global risks report 2020. From http://www3.weforum.org/docs/WEF_Global_Risk_Report_2020.pdf; 15 January 2020.
1. Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center. COVID-19 dashboard. From https://coronavirus.jhu.edu/; 4 August 2021.
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A solution scan of societal options to reduce transmission and spread of respiratory viruses: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study

Affiliations

A solution scan of societal options to reduce transmission and spread of respiratory viruses: SARS-CoV-2 as a case study

Authors

Affiliations

Abstract

Conflict of interest statement

Figures

References

Grants and funding

LinkOut - more resources

Full Text Sources

Miscellaneous