Spread knowledge, not the virus

We provide expert information on how to stop COVID-19 so you can act confidently.

See our recommendations for individuals, families, employers, and governments.

The fastest and the only way to stop COVID-19 in the United States is a five-week national lockdown.

Our top recommendations for governments:

1. National Lockdown

In much of Europe and North America, the explosive growth of COVID-19 means that a 4-6 week strong lockdown is necessary to stop the outbreak. Such lockdowns may be politically difficult to implement, and they always entail significant short-term economic and social costs. But their effects are dramatic, and their duration is short. Two months after China imposed its lockdown, China has virtually eliminated local transmission of COVID-19. Wuhan is now safer than London or New York, and China’s economy is on the path to recovery. Without China’s strict lockdown, the economic harm to China from COVID-19 would have been orders of magnitude greater.

During a strong lockdown, regions which are less affected by the virus can help provide resources to those in need. The lockdown also gives time to dramatically scale up the supply of COVID-19 test kits and capacity to process them. If the number of infections is dramatically reduced using the lockdown and a massive testing regime is initiated, COVID-19 can be controlled after five weeks without extreme social distancing measures. A strong lockdown would minimize both the harm to individuals, as well as the economy.

• See the memo by Chen Shen and Yaneer Bar-Yam: Why A 5-Week Lockdown Can Stop COVID-19

• Yaneer’s op-ed in USA Today: We need an immediate five-week national lockdown to defeat coronavirus in America

2. Massive Testing, Contact Tracing, and Isolation

Massive testing for COVID-19 combined with tracing and then isolating the contacts of infected individuals is the intervention that causes the least amount of economic harm and yet saves many lives. Singapore and Korea have shown that this approach can defeat COVID-19.

Governments must employ the following strategies to stop COVID-19:

1. Contact Tracing: Isolate, monitor and test everyone who has been in contact with a known infected individual.

2. Generic Symptomatic Testing: Test everyone in the geographic area of an infected individual for COVID-19 symptoms such as fever.

3. Targeted Sampling: Randomly test individuals in high-risk populations such as prisons, nursing homes, and student dormitories.

Countries, especially in Asia, that have the requisite expertise should help the rest of the world get up to speed. Contact tracing teams must be trained and countries must rapidly ramp up testing. Countries should use testing capacity in academic institutions and corporations.

3. Restrict Mobility While Allowing Essential Supplies and Medical Response

Travel from areas with active outbreaks should be stopped. Every individual should undergo a 14 day quarantine when entering into other areas. Where active outbreaks are occurring, limiting mobility to essential travel enables areas with fewer cases gain control of their outbreaks faster and with more limited interventions. The ability to recover quicker is important for economic recovery and for the ability to help areas that are more severely affected.

Individuals don't have to wait for governments to act! Agree to self-isolate to stop the virus in your community.

Individual and Family Guidelines

Everyday Life and COVID-19 (PDF)

• What to do about: Apartment buildings, grocery shopping, necessary errands, packages and mail

Family and Household Guidelines (PDF)

• Our general guidelines for families and households

Guidelines for Self Isolation (PDF)

• What to do when you are: Living alone, Sharing lodging with someone else

Respiratory Health Guidelines (PDF)

• What you can do to reduce your risk of a severe case of COVID-19

More family guidelines →

Community Guidelines

Government Guidelines

For breaking updates and new recommendations, follow Yaneer Bar-Yam and End Coronavirus Dot Org on Twitter.