Optimizing the Dose of Pre-Pandemic Influenza Vaccines
Author Information
Author(s): Christophe Fraser
Primary Institution: Medical Research Council Centre for Outbreak Analysis and Modelling, Imperial College London
Hypothesis
How best to spread the vaccine throughout the population to reduce the total number of people infected in an eventual outbreak.
Conclusion
It is more effective to spread a low dose of vaccine to many people than to give a large dose to a few.
Supporting Evidence
- Vaccines matched to circulating avian H5N1 strains are in development.
- Some governments have drafted plans to prioritize vaccination for crucial individuals.
- Riley et al. suggest that substantial reductions in the attack rate are possible with lower doses given to more people.
Takeaway
If we have a limited amount of flu vaccine, it's better to give a little bit to a lot of people instead of a lot to just a few.
Methodology
Exploratory modeling and computer simulations were used to explore different policy options in influenza pandemic control.
Potential Biases
The study may be influenced by the assumptions made regarding immunity and the effectiveness of the vaccine.
Limitations
The results depend heavily on the assumed nature of immunity and the match between vaccines and the circulating virus.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
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