LONDON (Reuters) – Extending school and work closures at the coronavirus’ ground zero in China may delay a second wave of infections, researchers said on Thursday, urging the rest of the world to take note.
FILE PHOTO: Residents bid farewell from their homes to a medical team from Guizhou province who is leaving Wuhan, following the novel coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Hubei province, China March 25, 2020. China Daily via REUTERS
With containment measures largely successful and the epidemic’s epicenter now in Europe, China has loosened a two-month lockdown in the city of Wuhan where the new coronavirus is thought to have jumped from wildlife to people late last year.
But a study in The Lancet Public Health journal suggested continuing Wuhan’s shutdowns until April would push a potential second wave of COVID-19 – the disease caused by the new virus – until later in the year. That would give health services more time to recover and expand, potentially saving lives.
“The city now needs to be really careful to avoid prematurely lifting physical distancing measures, because that could lead to an ear