Controlling contagion by restricting mobility: In the face of an epidemic, even moderate travel restrictions would slow contagion

[unable to retrieve full-text content]In an epidemic or a bioterrorist attack, the response of government officials could range from a drastic restriction of mobility -- imposed isolation or total lockdown of a city -- to moderate travel restrictions in some areas or simple suggestions that people remain at home. Deciding to institute any measure would require officials to weigh the costs and benefits of action, but at present there's little data to guide them on the question of how disease spreads through transportation networks. However, a new study comparing contagion rates in two scenarios -- with and without travel restrictions -- shows that even moderate measures of mobility restriction would be effective in controlling contagion in densely populated areas with highly interconnected road and transit networks.

Source: http://feeds.sciencedaily.com/~r/sciencedaily/top_news/top_health/~3/B_iIoHsvtFM/130730193535.htm

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