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@JanDW
Created August 10, 2020 00:54
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The mathematics of COVID-19 pool testing
# -*- coding: utf-8 -*-
"""
Estimates the optimal pandemic testing pool size
Ref: https://asm.org/Articles/2020/July/COVID-19-Pool-Testing-Is-It-Time-to-Jump-In
https://www.statnews.com/2020/06/26/pool-testing-covid-19/
Created on Sun Aug 2 20:29:23 2020
@author: johnx
"""
from scipy.optimize import fsolve
import numpy as np
from matplotlib import pyplot as plt
from matplotlib import style
plt.style.use("ggplot")
def optPoolSize_Case_I(p):
# The total number of tests required as a function of
# N: Total population size
# n: Number of people in each pool
# p: Probability that any person is infected
# f(N,n,p) = N(1/n + 1 - (1-p)^n)
#
# Want to find f'(N,n,p) = 0 for n given p
# f'(N,n,p) = -(1-p)^n * log(1-p) - 1/n^2
df = lambda n,p: -(1-p)**n * np.log(1-p) - 1/n**2
# Convert to a function of n only
dfn = lambda n: df(n,p)
# Find an upper bound for n
n_max = 10
while dfn(n_max) < 0:
n_max += 10
# Optimal pool size
n = fsolve(dfn,[1, n_max])
return n[0]
def plotOptPool(pLim):
# Probabilities
nS = 50
n0 = np.log10(pLim[0])
n1 = np.log10(pLim[1])
p = np.logspace(n0,n1,nS)
# Optimal pool sizes
n = list(map(optPoolSize_Case_I,p))
# Number of tests required
f = lambda N,n,p: N * (1/n + 1 - (1-p)**n)
tests = [f(100,n[k],p[k]) for k in range(len(p))]
# Plot pool sizes as a function of infection rate
plt.figure()
plt.plot(100*p,n)
plt.xlim([0,20])
plt.ylim([0,35])
plt.xlabel('Infection rate (%)')
plt.ylabel('Optimal pool size')
plt.title('Epidemiological Pool Sizes')
plt.show()
# Plot tests required as a function of infection rate
plt.figure()
plt.plot(100*p,tests)
plt.xlim([0,20])
plt.ylim([0,100])
plt.xlabel('Infection rate (%)')
plt.ylabel('Number of tests')
plt.title('Tests per 100 people')
plt.show()
if __name__ == "__main__":
plotOptPool([0.001, 0.2])
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