Transition from Susceptible-Infected to Susceptible-Infected-Recovered Dynamics in a Susceptible-Cleric-Zombie-Recovered Active Matter Model

Abstract: The Susceptible-Infected (SI) and Susceptible-Infected-Recovered (SIR) models provide two distinct representations of epidemic evolution, distinguished by the lack of spontaneous recovery in the SI model. Here we introduce a new active matter epidemic model, the ``Susceptible-Cleric-Zombie-Recovered'' (SCZR) model, in which spontaneous recovery is absent but zombies can recover with probability $\gamma$ via interaction with a cleric. Upon interacting with a zombie, both susceptibles and clerics can enter the zombie state with probability $\beta$ and $\alpha$, respectively. By changing the intial fraction of clerics or their healing ability rate $\gamma$, we can tune the SCZR model between SI dynamics, in which no susceptibles or clerics remain at long times, and SIR dynamics, in which no zombies remain at long times. The model is relevant to certain real world diseases such as HIV where spontaneous recovery is impossible but where medical interventions by a limited number of caregivers can reduce or eliminate the spread of infection.