May 22, 2020

Impact of Superspreaders on Dissemination and Mitigation of COVID-19

Category: Article Summary

Topic: Modeling and Prediction

• [pre-print, not peer reviewed] Sneppen and Simonsen developed an agent-based model that includes superspreaders (persons who spread the disease far more readily than others) to investigated the effect of containment strategies under different models of population mixing. They found that limiting contacts in settings with diffuse social interactions, such as bars, public transport, or lecture halls, was far more effective than limiting the same amount of contact events in the home and work setting. They conclude that limiting diffuse social contacts, while maintaining normal home and work contacts, could halt the epidemic. 

Sneppen and Simonsen. (May 21, 2020). Impact of Superspreaders on Dissemination and Mitigation of COVID-19. Pre-print downloaded May 21 from https://doi.org/10.1101/2020.05.17.20104745