ABSTRACT
Contents Abstract .............................................................................................................108 Developing a Prevention and Control Program with an Accompanying Simulation.........................................................................................................108 Method ............................................................................................................. 111
Evaluation Instrument .................................................................................. 111 Procedures .................................................................................................... 111 Development of Simulation Model ............................................................... 111 Description of the Environment ...................................................................113 Arti‘cial Agent De‘nition ............................................................................113
Abstract Pandemic preparedness training for schools* is an evidence-based inuenza prevention program. e purpose of this project was to provide an assessment of how policies, behaviors, and the environment might aˆect transmission of an inuenza virus within a school. Following a thorough assessment of the school, speci‘c recommendations for improvement are provided. e results of the assessment are enhanced by a “game-like” simulation of the spread of the virus through the school, providing a visual representation of how students and staˆ might be aˆected by an inuenza virus. is preparedness exercise has many potential bene‘ts for schools, such as providing knowledge to mitigate the impact of the u, keeping students and staˆ healthy, building social capital by implementing programs directly related to the safety of the students, and reinforcing policy and preventive health training which reduces disease transmission. e simulation applied for this program can model the relevant geographic areas with all the relevant features (schools, hospitals, railways, airports, lakes, rivers, and business districts) to create an arti‘cial virtual community. ese virtual geographies can be customized to mimic real geographies from outbreaks to pandemics.
