Abstract

In
The Netherlands, the first wave of SARS -Cov-2 was controlled by what
politicians like to call an “intelligent lockdown”, whereas the current wave is
being addressed by a “semi-lockdown”. In this seminar, we’ll highlight and
dissect the main components of the Dutch control strategy and will explore and
compare the potential impact of some of these components using an
individual-based model of COVID -19 transmission that included geographical
stratification, individual heterogeneity in exposure and contribution
transmission, and assortative mixing. In addition, we’ll explore the expected
course and outcome of several controversial hypothetical strategies aimed at
generating herd immunity though natural infection by a controlled release of
the epidemic. Last, we’ll draw some parallels between said controversial
strategies and what is currently happening in practice in The Netherlands.