Stochastic Compartmental Model for Infectious Diseases (OCTA)

Release v1.0.0 - Stochastic Compartmental Model for Infectious Diseases (OCTA)

We are excited to announce the first release of the Stochastic Compartmental Model for Infectious Diseases, also known as OCTA. This version provides the essential functionality to simulate the impact of social distancing measures and vaccine uptake on the COVID-19 epidemic in Belgium.

Overview of This Release:

• Transmission Model Kernel: A central script and function for transmission modelling.
• Simulation Scripts: Scripts to model the dynamics of COVID-19 variants and adjustments in vaccine uptake.
• Model Parameters: Scripts to conduct MCMC-based model parameterisation.
• Documentation: A user manual and a technical note are included to help new users quickly understand and utilise our model.
• Data: All data required to run the SARS-COV-2 simulations and calibration from out latest publication.

Getting Started: For those new to the OCTA model, begin with the script in R/projections_wave1.R to familiarise yourself with the basic functionalities and data flow.

Contributions: This release would not have been possible without the invaluable contributions of all contributors and the SIMID COVID-19 modelling team. We extend our deepest gratitude for their ongoing efforts and dedication.

Access and Use: The source code and data for OCTA v1.0.0 are available on ZENODO to ensure accessibility and replicability of our published scenarios. We invite researchers, public health officials, and the scientific community to engage with our model, explore the simulation results, and contribute to ongoing improvements. For detailed information on the model and setup, please refer to the documentation provided in the doc folder.

Important Notice Regarding the Use of This Software: This software is provided under the GNU General Public License (GPL), which does not offer a warranty of any kind. For the protection of both the developers and the authors, it is important to understand that this free software comes with no warranty. The GPL clearly states that all users and developers using or modifying this software do so at their own risk.

Additionally, if you utilise this software in your research or publication, please cite the relevant journal papers as listed in the README file. Proper attribution to prior research and documentation is crucial and appreciated by the developers and academic community involved.