Toward COVID-19 Decision Support: Modeling of Transmission Dynamics Extended with a Comprehensive Mitigation Protocol to Predict Health, Cost and Productivity Outcomes

ABSTRACT

This paper reports on the development of a model of COVID-19 transmission dynamics that takes into account a comprehensive mitigation protocol. This is necessary for public health decision support and making actionable recommendations on COVID-19 response. The comprehensive mitigation protocol includes (1) personal protection and social distancing, (2) use of smart applications for symptom reporting and contact tracing, (3) targeted testing based on identification of individuals with possible exposure and/or infection via symptom reporting and contact tracing, (4) surveillance testing, and (5) shelter, quarantine and isolation procedures. The proposed model (1) extends a common epidemiological discrete dynamic model with the comprehensive mitigation protocol, (2) uses Bayesian probability analysis to estimate the conditional probabilities of being in non-circulating epidemiological sub-compartments as a function of the mitigation protocol parameters, based on which it (3) estimates transition ratios among the compartments, and (4) computes a range of key performance indicators including health outcomes, mitigation cost and productivity loss. The proposed model can serve as a critical component for COVID-19 mitigation decision support and recommender systems, as part of a broader effort to support urgent pandemic response. © 2021 IEEE.