In this modeling work, we explore the effectiveness of various age-targeted vaccination strategies to mitigate hospitalization and mortality from pandemic influenza, assuming limited vaccine supplies. We propose a novel adaptive vaccination strategy in which vaccination is initiated during the outbreak and priority groups are identified based on real-time epidemiological data monitoring age-specific risk of hospitalization and death. We apply this strategy to detailed epidemiological and demographic data collected during the recent swine A/H1N1 outbreak in Mexico. We show that the adaptive strategy targeting age groups 6-59 years is the most effective in reducing hospitalizations and deaths, as compared with a more traditional strategy used in the control of seasonal influenza and targeting children under 5 and seniors over 65. Results are robust to a number of assumptions and could provide guidance to many nations facing a recrudescence of A/H1N1v pandemic activity in the fall and likely vaccine shortages.
CITATION STYLE
Chowell, G., Viboud, C., Wang, X., Bertozzi, S., & Miller, M. (2009). Adaptive vaccination strategies to mitigate pandemic influenza. PLoS Currents, (AUG). https://doi.org/10.1371/currents.RRN1004
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