Novel estimates reveal subnational heterogeneities in disease-relevant contact patterns in the United States.

ABSTRACT: Population contact patterns fundamentally determine the spread of directly transmitted airborne pathogens such as SARS-CoV-2 and influenza. Reliable quantitative estimates of contact patterns are therefore critical to modeling and reducing the spread of directly transmitted infectious diseases and to assessing the effectiveness of interventions intended to limit risky contacts. While many countries have used surveys and contact diaries to collect national-level contact data, local-level estimates of age-specific contact patterns remain rare. Yet, these local-level data are critical since disease dynamics and public health policy typically vary by geography. To overcome this challenge, we introduce a flexible model that can estimate age-specific contact patterns at the subnational level by

SUBMITTER: Breen CF 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC9749998 | biostudies-literature | 2022 Dec

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature