Policy makers must act on incomplete evidence in responding to COVID‐19

Editorial highlights the rapid reviews Cochrane has performed on the effectiveness of behavioural public health measures for reducing COVID‐19 infection. None have been able to find robust, high‐quality evidence thus far.

SPS commentary:

The editorial also states that lack of evidence of effectiveness is not evidence that the interventions are ineffective, and that waiting for strong evidence is a recipe for paralysis. Public health officials therefore must take measured gambles, based on circumstantial evidence from the reviewed studies and other sources.

Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews