German Study Finds No Evidence Curfews Slow COVID-19 Spread

According to the study made public on April 28, there is "no statistical evidence of the effectiveness of curfews in slowing the spread of the pandemic". To reach this conclusion, the German researchers studied the implementation of restrictions and curfews during the second wave of the epidemic in Europe (November 2020 to February 2021) in Hesse, one of the most populous regions of Germany. "This makes it possible to identify the effect of curfews in isolation from other measures, using the double difference method," explains the École des Mines ParisTech in a press release.

The researchers concluded, after a statistical study of the incidence rate per 100,000 inhabitants over seven days in the region, that night curfews are not "an effective measure to limit virus transmission" if other restrictions such as the closure of non-essential businesses, restaurants or schools are already in place.

Even if the study questions the effectiveness of the curfew, applied in several countries such as Morocco and France, its authors point out that more in-depth research needs to be done on the issue.