Figure 2.
The process by which a person’s social connections change over time. In the susceptible state (S), infection may be caused by a nearby infected neighbor. An infected state (I) can cause infection for a period of time (∆T) in surrounding people who are connected. After ∆T in state I, the infection becomes detected (Ix). In state Ix, social connections are blocked and infection cannot spread to surrounding individuals. When state R is reached after recovery from the infection, the infection can no longer be transmitted even if the social connection is restored.