Battling Epidemics & Disparity with Modeling

The Coupled Dynamics of the COVID-19 Pandemic with Social Epidemics

Authors

  • Anuj Mubayi PRECISIONheor, Los Angeles, USA Illinois State University, Normal, USA Author
  • Jeff Sullivan PRECISIONheor, Los Angeles, USA Author
  • Jason Shafrin PRECISIONheor, Los Angeles, USA Author
  • Oliver Diaz PRECISIONheor, Los Angeles, USA Author
  • Aditi Ghosh University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, Whitewater, USA Author
  • Anamika Mubayi Indian Institute of Technology, Kanpur, India Author
  • Olcay Akman Illinois State University, Normal, USA Author
  • Phani Veeranki PRECISIONheor, Los Angeles, USA Author

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.30707/LiB7.1.1647875326.103162

Keywords:

COVID-19, Social epidemics, Homelessness, Housing assistance

Abstract

Policymakers are under intense pressure to respond effectively to the ongoing COVID-19 situation. Epidemiological models, which have been helpful in many previous infectious diseases’ epidemics, have been inconsistent and often incorrect in predicting burden of COVID-19 outbreak. Modelers are struggling to identify and capture appropriate drivers of the current outbreak giving conflicting conclusions. COVID-19 is not only exerting unprecedented social pressure on the vulnerable population but also its patterns are getting impacted by existing and aggravating social problems. The present article stresses the role of this dual nature of the impact of COVID-19 and suggests modelers to incorporate challenges at the interface of COVID-19 preparedness and social epidemics such as homelessness and opioid use. There is an urgent need to encourage social distancing policies to protect people and prevent the spread of the virus, while ensuring that other social crises and vulnerable populations are not ignored.

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Published

2020-08-28

Issue

Section

Editorial

How to Cite

Battling Epidemics & Disparity with Modeling: The Coupled Dynamics of the COVID-19 Pandemic with Social Epidemics. (2020). Letters in Biomathematics, 7(1), 105-110. https://doi.org/10.30707/LiB7.1.1647875326.103162