Protocol for a Rapid Scoping Review of Evidence of Outdoor Transmission of COVID-19

The COVID-19 pandemic is both a global health crisis, and a civic emergency for national governments, including the UK. As countries across the world loosen their lockdown restrictions, the assumption is generally made that the risk of COVID-19 transmission is lower outdoors, and this assumption has shaped decisions about what activities can re-commence, the circumstances in which they should re-commence, and the conditions under which they should re-commence. This is important for events and activities that generate mass gatherings, particularly mass participation sports events such as running, but also events in other sectors such as concerts, carnivals and festivals.

This paper sets out a protocol for a rapid scoping review of evidence of incidents of outdoor transmission of COVID-19, including the settings, environments and circumstances of such transmission, and their comparative prevalence to incidents of indoor transmission.

Its purpose is to inform discussions about the recommencement of activities that generate mass gatherings.