diff --git a/get_beta.py b/get_beta.py
new file mode 100644
index 0000000..8e806f5
--- /dev/null
+++ b/get_beta.py
@@ -0,0 +1,40 @@
+from datetime import datetime
+
+# simulate lockdown
+def get_beta(t):
+    ind = 0
+
+    # first day of simulation
+    day0 = datetime.strptime('1-jan-2020', '%d-%b-%Y')
+
+    # state of emergency and such [2]
+    tlock = []
+    tunlock = []
+    scale = []
+    
+    dates = ['23-mar-2020', '17-jul-2020', '17-jul-2020', '9-oct-2020', '9-oct-2020', '23-nov-2020', 
+             '23-nov-2020', '5-jan-2021', '5-jan-2021', '5-mar-2021', '5-mar-2021', '13-apr-2021', 
+             '13-apr-2021', '11-jun-2021', '11-jun-2021', '2-jul-2021', '2-jul-2021', '16-jul-2021', 
+             '16-jul-2021', '1-sep-2021', '1-sep-2021', '1-nov-2021', '1-nov-2021', '1-jan-2022', 
+             '1-jan-2022', '1-jan-2023']
+    
+    scales = [0.4, 0.55, 0.6, 0.55, 0.3, 0.4, 0.15, 0.2, 0.3, 0.35, 0.4, 0.5, 0.4]
+    
+    for i in range(0, len(dates), 2):
+        tlock.append((datetime.strptime(dates[i], '%d-%b-%Y') - day0).days)
+        tunlock.append((datetime.strptime(dates[i+1], '%d-%b-%Y') - day0).days)
+        scale.append(scales[ind])
+        ind += 1
+
+    ilock = [i for i, x in enumerate(tlock) if x <= t]
+    iunlock = [i for i, x in enumerate(tunlock) if t < x]
+    ii = list(set(ilock) & set(iunlock))
+    
+    if len(ii) > 1:
+        print(t, ii)
+    if not ii:
+        beta_scale = 1
+    else:
+        beta_scale = scale[ii[0]]
+    
+    return beta_scale