2.3. Simulations of Outbreaks
The system was numerically integrated using the “odeint” solver in the Scipy 1.4—Python scientific computation suite [32]. The simulations track the populations for each of the compartments listed in Figure 1. Each model run occurred over 250 days, which amounts to over 8 months of the epidemic or 5× the peak of the outbreak. This length of time is consistent with the antecedent SARS-CoV-2 model [22], long enough for the dynamics of the system to manifest. Note however that, for this study, we are especially interested in the early window of an outbreak: the first 30 days. We focus on this window because this is the time frame that best captures the underlying physics of an epidemic, as 30 days is often before populations are able to adjust their individual behaviors. The code constructed for the analysis in this study is publicly available on github: https://github.com/OgPlexus/Pharaohlocks.