The COVID-19 pandemic and these preventive measures have dominated the news media for several months. Policymakers and the public have been discussing whether the economy should be opened if so when, or the effectiveness of interventions, such as stay-at-home orders, social distancing measures, and preventive testing. Decision-makers at various levels of the government, as well as private/public organizations, have to make such critical decisions that have a profound effect on the well-being of individuals and society. Policymakers have been increasingly relying on epidemiological models to guide their decisions and communicating their policy choices to the public through visual aids created by these models. Through various media outlets, the public has seen graphs illustrating the spread of COVID-19 and learned the concept of “flattening the curve” so that our healthcare providers have the adequate resources needed to treat COVID-19 patients without being overwhelmed. In this presentation, we will briefly introduce how simulation models can be used to predict the outcomes of COVID-19 containment measures such as testing, contact tracing, social distancing, and self-isolation.

This LionSide Chat will be presented by:

Dr. Abdullah Konak

Penn State Berks