Pandemic Surge Models in the Time of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2: Wrong or Useful?

Ann Intern Med. 2020 Sep 1;173(5):396-398. doi: 10.7326/M20-1956. Epub 2020 Apr 16.

Abstract

Public health decision making during the COVID-19 pandemic involves tradeoffs, uncertainty, and values, and models have been developed to inform administrative and policy decision makers to forecast demand for hospital resources, to understand hospital capacity constraints, and to determine when peak demand occurs. This editorial discusses fundamental differences among 3 models in current use.

Publication types

  • Editorial
  • Comment

MeSH terms

  • Betacoronavirus
  • COVID-19
  • Coronavirus Infections / epidemiology*
  • Humans
  • Pandemics*
  • Pneumonia, Viral / epidemiology*
  • SARS-CoV-2