Evaluating strategies for global respiratory pandemic control at ports: a modelling study.

ABSTRACT:

Background

Heavy reliance on container shipping during the COVID-19 pandemic with lockdown implementation and air travel bans placed substantial pressure on shipping crews and ports. Long waiting times at ports, substantial economic losses and massive supply chain disruption of essential and medical goods were observed. To minimise this for future pandemic preparedness, we explore the use of quarantining and testing of crews preboarding instead of quarantining at port calls or during voyages.

Methods

Using a microsimulation model of 10 000 vessels and 300 000 crew, we examine the effectiveness of nine predeparture control strategies in reducing COVID-19 outbreak sizes, from no control to the use of 7-day and 14-day quarantining, and addition of polymerase chain reaction (PCR

SUBMITTER: Guan T 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC11812899 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Jan

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature