Hierarchical Vaccine Allocation Based on Epidemiological and Behavioral Considerations

Area of Science:

• Epidemiology
• Public Health Policy
• Computational Social Science

Background:

• Vaccines are crucial for controlling SARS-CoV-2 transmission.
• Equitable vaccine distribution remains a global challenge.
• Heterogeneous epidemiological and behavioral factors complicate allocation strategies.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a hierarchical, cost-effective vaccine allocation strategy.
• To incorporate population density, susceptibility, infection rates, and vaccination attitudes.
• To address vaccine shortages through local redistribution.

Main Methods:

• A hierarchical allocation model assigning vaccines to zones and neighborhoods.
• Integration of epidemiological, socio-demographic, and social media data.
• A module for inter-zone vaccine transfer to mitigate shortages.

Main Results:

• The proposed strategy effectively allocates vaccines based on defined criteria.
• The model captures the impact of varying vaccine adoption rates.
• Demonstrated feasibility using data from Chicago and Greece.

Conclusions:

• The developed strategy offers a framework for equitable and efficient vaccine distribution.
• Future work can inform public policy and reduce vaccine procurement costs.
• This approach can be extended to other infectious disease vaccination campaigns.