Simple models for control of epidemics

AbstractThis study considers the problem of resource allocation between one or several epidemics by reference to a model involving both the stochastic and the geographical nature of the spread of the disease. In the simplest models each epidemic spreads amongst a single line of populations and is controlled to minimize the expected number infected. For these we find that the optimal policy is to treat the population which is immediately at risk, and that if there is more than one epidemic it is optimal to treat the fastest moving epidemics first. Some more realistic models are also briefly discussed