The report repeatedly discussed the limitations of the research on how epidemics spread. “A major limitation of the models is the uncertainty in many of the assumptions,” the report’s authors wrote. “There is little evidence to support many of the key parameters.” At best, “models should be viewed as aids to decision-making, rather than substitutes for decision-making,” the report warned. Unfortunately, “there is a real risk that in the midst of a crisis, there will be pressure for government to employ public health interventions, even in the absence of proven benefits.”
