Population distribution can greatly impact COVID-19 spread, study finds

“Social networks aren’t smooth and tidy. They’re rough and irregular, so diseases like COVID-19 that are transmitted through intensive contact can spread very unevenly,” said co-author Carter Butts, UCI professor of sociology. “This results in some communities getting hit much earlier and a lot harder than others, even within the same area. Those different experiences can shape individuals’ understanding of infection risk, impact their willingness to take protective actions, and potentially stress healthcare delivery systems in ways that are not captured well by standard epidemiological projections.”