RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Characterizing early Canadian federal, provincial, territorial and municipal nonpharmaceutical interventions in response to COVID-19: a descriptive analysis
JF CMAJ Open
JO CMAJ
FD Canadian Medical Association
SP E545
OP E553
DO 10.9778/cmajo.20200100
VO 8
IS 3
A1 McCoy, Liam G.
A1 Smith, Jonathan
A1 Anchuri, Kavya
A1 Berry, Isha
A1 Pineda, Joanna
A1 Harish, Vinyas
A1 Lam, Andrew T.
A1 Yi, Seung Eun
A1 Hu, Sophie
A1 Rosella, Laura
A1 Fine, Benjamin
A1 
YR 2020
UL http://www.cmajopen.ca/content/8/3/E545.abstract
AB Background: Nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) are the primary tools to mitigate early spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic; however, such policies are implemented variably at the federal, provincial or territorial, and municipal levels without centralized documentation. We describe the development of the comprehensive open Canadian Non-Pharmaceutical Intervention (CAN-NPI) data set, which identifies and classifies all NPIs implemented in regions across Canada in response to COVID-19, and provides an accompanying description of geographic and temporal heterogeneity.Methods: We performed an environmental scan of government websites, news media and verified government social media accounts to identify NPIs implemented in Canada between Jan. 1 and Apr. 19, 2020. The CAN-NPI data set contains information about each intervention’s timing, location, type, target population and alignment with a response stringency measure. We conducted descriptive analyses to characterize the temporal and geographic variation in early NPI implementation.Results: We recorded 2517 NPIs grouped in 63 distinct categories during this period. The median date of NPI implementation in Canada was Mar. 24, 2020. Most jurisdictions heightened the stringency of their response following the World Health Organization’s global pandemic declaration on Mar. 11, 2020. However, there was variation among provinces or territories in the timing and stringency of NPI implementation, with 8 out of 13 provinces or territories declaring a state of emergency by Mar. 18, and all by Mar. 22, 2020.Interpretation: There was substantial geographic and temporal heterogeneity in NPI implementation across Canada, highlighting the importance of a subnational lens in evaluating the COVID-19 pandemic response. Our comprehensive open-access data set will enable researchers to conduct robust interjurisdictional analyses of NPI impact in curtailing COVID-19 transmission.