
Post-lockdown reintegration
Using testing resource allocation to identify healthy individuals who can be reintegrated into their normal routines
This model operates in the regime in which students and staff are in lockdown and a university wishes to begin reintegrating healthy individuals to normal activities. The first step lies in estimating each individual's probability of being infected as well as the priority of their attendance or the utility of their resuming of normal activities. The calculation of this utility is done via a survey to elicit socioeconomic, psychological (mental health) information and academic need. The testing protocols that we consider put individuals into groups and only if an individual is in a negative group test are they allowed to return to normal activity. Given this context, the second step of the process involves algorithmically computing an optimal test allocation. The final step of the process involves implementing the proposed testing allocation and communicating results to relevant parties.
01
Obtain Relevant Parameters
Our testing strategy requires computing each individual's utility of normal activity over lockdown as well as their probability of infection.
02
Compute Optimal Testing Strategy
Based on these population characteristics, we provide an optimal allocation of group tests to the population, under the containment assumption that only those in negative tests will return to in-person activities.
03
Implement Group Tests and Communicate Results
We help laboratories coordinate the group tests required, and communicate the results to relevant individuals.