Mixed-Mode Pandemic Modeling

This paper describes a mixed mode approach to simulating a global pandemic. It describes the architectural and design decisions as well as the data sources, development tools and processes in each of the three simulation domains - System Dynamics (SD), Discrete Event Simulation (DES) and Agent-Based Modeling (ABM). The encompassing model uses a network of SD models, each representing a 30 km
²
grid cell of Earth's surface, with attributes describing population density as well as economic, political, sanitary and healthcare capabilities. Governments and outbreak response teams are represented by software agents, making decisions about resource allocations and performing vaccination drives. A discrete event engine drives the SD models and the agents, as well as any prescribed response actions. Where possible - and it was almost always possible - Open Source data and software is used.