Preventive measures focused on the urban-rural interface protect rural food-producing communities from SARS-CoV-2

Abstract

Rural food-producing communities are fundamental for the development of economic activities associated with sustainability and food security. However, despite the importance of rurality in Colombia, prevention strategies continue to be implemented homogeneously, without considering the dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 in rural food-producing communities. Objective: To model real areas in Colombia that have intrinsic SARS-CoV-2 transmission dynamics involving rural and urban populations. We characterize rural-urban interaction by means of a parameter that provides different scenarios and allows us to identify a rural-urban interaction capable of preventing SARS-CoV-2 transmission in rural food-producing communities. Materials and methods: The dynamics of SARS-CoV-2 was modeled in five case studies (Boyacá, Caquetá, Cundinamarca, Santander and Sucre) considering urban and rural areas and their interaction (connectivity) in the urban-rural interface. For this purpose, an epidemiological compartmental model considering a classification of individuals according to their economic activity and their epidemiological status was considered. Results: Preventive measures focused on the urban-rural interface impact the number of deaths in rural areas. Hence, it is possible to assume that the dynamics of the disease in rural areas depend on the constant contact with infected individuals from urban areas, which occurs due to the dynamics of the food production systems in the urban-rural interface. Conclusions: Prevention measures should focus on places of high transmissibility and risk for rural communities, such as the urban-rural interface. This work highlights 3 the importance of national heterogeneous preventive measures and the protection of rural communities from the social and economic impacts of SARS-CoV-2.