DOI: 10.5061/dryad.pc866t1xx
title: Analyzing evolutionary game theory in epidemic management: A study on social distancing and mask-wearing strategies

description: When combating a respiratory disease outbreak, the effectiveness of
 protective measures hinges on spontaneous shifts in human behavior driven
 by risk perception and careful cost-benefit analysis. In this study, a
 novel concept has been introduced, integrating social distancing and
 mask-wearing strategies into a unified framework that combines
 evolutionary game theory with an extended classical epidemic model. To
 yield deeper insights into human decision-making during COVID-19, we
 integrate both the prevalent dilemma faced at the epidemic’s onset
 regarding mask-wearing and social distancing practices, along with a
 comprehensive cost-benefit analysis. We explore the often-overlooked
 aspect of effective mask adoption among undetected infectious individuals
 to evaluate the significance of source control. Both undetected and
 detected infectious individuals can significantly reduce the risk of
 infection for non-masked individuals by wearing effective facemasks. When
 the economic burden of mask usage becomes unsustainable in the community,
 promoting affordable and safe social distancing becomes vital in slowing
 the epidemic’s progress, allowing crucial time for public health
 preparedness. In contrast, as the indirect expenses associated with safe
 social distancing escalate, affordable and effective facemask usage could
 be a feasible option. In our analysis, it was observed that during periods
 of heightened infection risk, there is a noticeable surge in public
 interest and dedication to complying with social distancing measures.
 However, its impact diminishes beyond a certain disease transmission
 threshold, as this strategy cannot completely eliminate the disease burden
 in the community. Maximum public compliance with social distancing and
 mask-wearing strategies can be achieved when they are affordable for the
 community. While implementing both strategies together could ultimately
 reduce the epidemic’s effective reproduction number (Re) to below one,
 countries still have the flexibility to prioritize either of them, easing
 strictness on the other based on their socio-economic conditions.
description: Dataset collected from code.
description: \===================================================================
 CONSOLE APPLICATION : Project Overview
 ====================================== This file contains a summary of
 what you will find in each of the files that make up your application. We
 uploaded two data files:  1. The code file involves performing numerical
 simulations using C++ in Visual Studio. 2. Two tabular data files. ##
 Requirements * Visual Studio 2019 or later * C++14 standard or higher ##
 Installation 1. **Clone the repository:** 2. bash 3. Copy code 4. **Open
 the project in Visual Studio:** * Launch Visual Studio. * Select
 "Open a project or solution". 5. **Build the project:** * In the
 Solution Explorer, right-click on the solution and select "Build
 Solution" or press Ctrl+Shift+B. ## Output File Two sample Excel
 files, which were used to create the 2D graphs, have been uploaded. Using
 the C++ code provided in the Dryad system, 2D CSV files can be generated
 from the data. In each CSV file, each column represents various parameter
 values. The first column represents the data numbers. The following two
 columns represent the values for the x-axis (d) and y-axis (eta). The
 following two columns represent the R (FES) and M values. The final column
 optionally represents the category of our simulation.