Author: Chris Bauch Professor of Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo, Madhur Anand Professor & Director, Global Ecological Change & Sustainability Laboratory, University of Guelph and Peter C. Jentsch PhD Candidate, Applied Mathematics, University of Waterloo
COVID-19 vaccines are on the horizon. Lately, it seems like each week brings news of another clinical trial demonstrating vaccine efficacy. But if supplies are initially limited, decision-makers will need to make hard choices about who should get them first.
One approach is to prioritize groups who are most vulnerable to serious outcomes like hospitalization and death, such as the elderly. Another approach is to prioritize groups who are most responsible for spreading the infection. The question is which approach will work best in a given population.