The Role and Position of Non-Pharmacological Interventions (NPI) in the Management and Control of Emerging and Re-emerging Infectious Diseases in the Post-COVID-19 Era: A Systematic Review

Acute infections sharply rose in the post-COVID-19 era but declined during the COVID-19 pandemic. Epidemics of common and rare diseases have been observed both in season and out of season, and the importance of NPI cannot be ignored.

This systematic review aims to assess the role of NPIs in controlling infectious diseases in the post-COVID-19 era, focusing on their applicability, limitations, and future directions.

We conducted a systematic review using primary sources, scholarly articles, and secondary bibliographic indexes, and databases from January 2020 to September 2024. The research method was an in-depth and targeted review of research articles on COVID-19, infectious diseases, the post-corona era, and NPI. The main search engines used in this research were PubMed, SciELO, and Google Scholar.

Infectious pathogens emerged as a result of the discontinuation of NPI, the absence of specialized international communication, the lack of financial budgeting, the allocation of facilities, and the long-term planning of nations for viral epidemics.

The COVID-19 pandemic underscored the critical role of NPIs in mitigating disease transmission and reducing strain on healthcare systems. NPIs, including physical distancing, mask-wearing, hand hygiene, and quarantine measures, were widely implemented and provided valuable lessons for managing infectious disease outbreaks.

The post-COVID-19 era has seen the resurgence of infectious diseases and the return of circulating viruses. Therefore, the development and global culture of paying attention to NPI is more necessary than ever to save the world from the next pandemic.