Mathematicians’ computer models on vaccine distribution, human
behavior help decision-makers fight H1N1 flu  Sept. 21, 2009
The new H1N1 flu is spreading like a wildfire across the globe.
It's the first flu pandemic the world has seen since 1968, and
many people are holding their breath. Whether or not swine flu
will leave a massive amount of destruction in its wake or
smolder along like a typical seasonal flu is a question that may
only be answered two years (or two months) from now.  As the
school year kicks into high gear and flu season begins in
earnest in the northern hemisphere, the buzz is palpable. And
big questions loom: how many vaccines for preventing H1N1 will
be ready and when? With a limited number of vaccines available,
who should be getting them? How should antivirals that treat
flu, like Tamiflu and Relenza, be distributed? How will the
transmission of flu change when people change their behavior?
Lauren Ancel Meyers Dr. Lauren Ancel MeyersPhoto: Marsha Miller
The drive to find answers to