Why is Closeness Centrality Important in Epidemiology?
Understanding closeness centrality is crucial for several reasons. First, it helps identify super-spreaders, individuals or points that can spread disease rapidly across a network. By targeting these nodes with interventions like vaccination or isolation, public health officials can efficiently curb the spread of an outbreak. Second, closeness centrality can help prioritize locations for resources during an outbreak, such as distributing vaccines or setting up testing centers in areas with high centrality scores.
