With states, public health officials and even President Donald Trump weighing in on when the U.S. should lift social distancing requirements amid the coronavirus pandemic, a study authored by Harvard University researchers paints a bleak picture.
The study, published in the journal “Science,” suggests intermittent social distancing might be necessary until 2022 if no vaccine or pharmaceutical treatments for the novel coronavirus are found.
They argued implementing social distancing measures only once could result in a “prolonged single-peak epidemic” that strains the health care system.
“Intermittent distancing may be required into 2022 unless critical care capacity is increased substantially or a treatment or vaccine becomes available,” researchers wrote.
