Maxims for a Pandemic: Time, Distance, and Data

• Type of Material: Article
• Authors: Jeffrey Koplan, Emory University; Samuel M. Ostroff, University of Washington; Ali H. Mokdad, University of Washington
• Language: English
• Date: 2021-01-01
• Publisher: American College of Physicians
• Publication Version: Final Published Version
• Copyright Statement: © 2021 American College of Physicians. All Rights Reserved.
• Final Published Version (URL): http://dx.doi.org/10.7326/M20-6934
• Title of Journal or Parent Work: Annals of Internal Medicine
• Volume: 174
• Issue: 1
• Start Page: 111
• End Page: +
• Grant/Funding Information: None declared
• Keywords: Medicine, General & Internal; Life Sciences & Biomedicine; General & Internal Medicine; Science & Technology
• Research Categories: Health Sciences, Medicine and Surgery; Health Sciences, Public Health; Biology, Biostatistics

Abstract

In their article, Alagoz and colleagues explored the effect of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19)–related public health mandates in 3 U.S. locations—Dane County, Wisconsin; the Milwaukee metropolitan area; and New York City—using agent-based simulation models (1). They modeled variations in adherence to social distancing mandates, time of intervention, and population density. Mask mandates are notably absent from the model because the authors focused on early periods of the pandemic before recommendations that the general population wear masks.