A more nuanced model of social distancing in COVID-19

New research on the impact of social distancing across different population groups aims to inform future scenarios to support connection while ensuring safe distance is maintained. Limiting contacts and keeping at least 1-2 metres from other people are generally considered important for limiting the spread of COVID-19. But what about more nuanced situations? Human society is complex and includes many types of interaction and groups of connections. A new project funded by the Health Research Board and the Irish Research Council will develop simulations that capture different dimensions of the population, and the ability of particular sub-groups to isolate. The findings will help to fine-tune recommendations about social and physical distancing and to model potential scenarios that could help groups to safely connect and build solidarity while maintaining physical distance. What is the issue? Social and physical distancing are broad measures to slow the spread of COVID-19, and within that there may be more nuanced ways that sub-groups can safely keep connected. What will the research project do? The project will build computer simulations that take different sub-groups into account, and model potential ways in which those sub-groups could effectively maintain connections while keeping physically distanced. What will the impact be? By providing a more nuanced analysis of social and physical distancing in the population, the research will help to refine recommendations and better model the potential outcomes. Lead researcher Dr Dipto Sarkar, (former) Lecturer, University College Cork, says: "Lockdown affects everyone differently. People's ability to adhere to guidelines also differ. Socioeconomics shed light on these differences. We will model these variations in fine granularity to understand disease spread and to recommend support needed by different people for successful implementation of disease control mechanisms such as lockdowns."