ABSTRACT
The link between the supply and demand sides of manufacturing has become increasingly frail as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. In this paper, we analyze the key path nodes and propose a closed-loop path value-added strategy for logistics services to optimize the path cost on the supply and demand side under the influence of the COVID-19 epidemic. First, the k shortest path algorithm determines the optional paths in accordance with the structure of the road network made up of all path nodes. Second, closed-loop transportation routes for both forward and reverse transit are constructed using the optional paths. Finally, the transportation service strategy with the optimal choice of transportation cost and transportation time under a multi-stage epidemic is obtained. The method can provide a reference for logistics services. © 2022 IEEE.
ABSTRACT
At the early stage of a major public health emergency outbreak, there exists an imbalance between supply and demand in the distribution of emergency supplies. To improve the efficiency of emergency medical service equipment and relieve the treatment pressure of each medical treatment point, one of the most important factors is the emergency medical equipment logistics distribution. Based on the actual data of medical equipment demand during the epidemic and the characteristics of emergencies, this study proposed an evaluation index system for emergency medical equipment demand point urgency, based on the number of patients, the number of available inpatient beds, and other influencing factors as the index. An urban emergency medical equipment distribution model considering the urgency of demand, the distribution time window, and vehicle load was constructed with the constraints. Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, at the beginning of the outbreak was selected as a validation example, and the Criteria Importance Though Intercriteria Correlation (CRITIC) method and the genetic algorithm were used to simulate and validate the model with and without considering the demand urgency. The results show that under the public health emergencies, the distribution path designed to respond to different levels of urgency demand for medical equipment is the most efficient path and reduces the total distribution cost by 5%.
Subject(s)
Emergency Medical Services , Epidemics , China/epidemiology , Emergencies , Humans , Public HealthABSTRACT
In response to the emergent public health event of COVID-19, the efficiency of transport of medical waste from hospitals to disposal stations is a worthwhile issue to study. In this paper, based on the actual situation of COVID-19 and environmental impact assessment guidelines, an immune algorithm is used to establish a location model of urban medical waste storage sites. In view of the selection of temporary storage stations and realistic transportation demand, an efficiency-of-transport model of medical waste between hospitals and temporary storage stations is established by using an ant colony-tabu hybrid algorithm. In order to specify such status, Wuhan city in Hubei Province, China-considered the first city to suffer from COVID-19-was chosen as an example of verification; the two-level model and the immune algorithm-ant colony optimization-tabu search (IA-ACO-TS) algorithm were used for simulation and testing, which achieved good verification. To a certain extent, the model and the algorithm are proposed to solve the problem of medical waste disposal, based on transit temporary storage stations, which we are convinced will have far-reaching significance for China and other countries to dispatch medical waste in response to such public health emergencies.