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arXiv · 2003.13967

Effects of social distancing and isolation on epidemic spreading: a dynamical density functional theory model

Michael te Vrugt·Jens Bickmann·Raphael Wittkowski
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Abstract

For preventing the spread of epidemics such as the coronavirus disease COVID-19, social distancing and the isolation of infected persons are crucial. However, existing reaction-diffusion equations for epidemic spreading are incapable of describing these effects. We present an extended model for disease spread based on combining an SIR model with a dynamical density functional theory where social distancing and isolation of infected persons are explicitly taken into account. The model shows interesting nonequilibrium phase separation associated with a reduction of the number of infections, and allows for new insights into the control of pandemics.

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Michael te Vrugt, Jens Bickmann, Raphael Wittkowski. 2020-03-31. Effects of social distancing and isolation on epidemic spreading: a dynamical density functional theory model. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-020-19024-0

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