Logistics decision support in the pandemic crisis

The COVID-19 pandemic crisis has changed our daily lives and will continue to do so. After the lockdown stage and the implementation of the 'shelter-in-place' policy, the focus is now centred more on tracking the transmission paths of COVID-19, warning people with a potentially high risk of infection, and isolating infected persons and members of risk groups. This new situation requires new or adapted logistics concepts. Thus, isolated people, for instance, will need regular home deliveries, and the containment strategy, based on contact tracking, will lead to an increased demand for coronavirus testing. Any solutions to these planning challenges must continue to maintain the required physical distance and help reduce physical interaction between people. This means that the suppliers of goods and the test teams should work in homogeneous shifts and shift schedules need to be bulked up accordingly. The approved urgent funding project will develop new logistical planning methods for the implementation of shelter-in-place or stay-at-home policies as well as for the necessary increase in testing.