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arXiv · 2011.06455

Optimal governance and implementation of vaccination programmes to contain the COVID-19 pandemic

Mahendra Piraveenan·Shailendra Sawleshwarkar·Michael Walsh·Iryna Zablotska·Samit Bhattacharyya·Habib Hassan Farooqui·Tarun Bhatnagar·Anup Karan·Manoj Murhekar·Sanjay Zodpey·K. S. Mallikarjuna Rao·Philippa Pattison·Albert Zomaya·Matjaz Perc
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Abstract

Since the recent introduction of several viable vaccines for SARS-CoV-2, vaccination uptake has become the key factor that will determine our success in containing the COVID-19 pandemic. We argue that game theory and social network models should be used to guide decisions pertaining to vaccination programmes for the best possible results. In the months following the introduction of vaccines, their availability and the human resources needed to run the vaccination programmes have been scarce in many countries. Vaccine hesitancy is also being encountered from some sections of the general public. We emphasize that decision-making under uncertainty and imperfect information, and with only conditionally optimal outcomes, is a unique forte of established game-theoretic modelling. Therefore, we can use this approach to obtain the best framework for modelling and simulating vaccination prioritization and uptake that will be readily available to inform important policy decisions for the optimal control of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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Mahendra Piraveenan, Shailendra Sawleshwarkar, Michael Walsh, Iryna Zablotska, Samit Bhattacharyya, Habib Hassan Farooqui, Tarun Bhatnagar, Anup Karan, Manoj Murhekar, Sanjay Zodpey, K. S. Mallikarjuna Rao, Philippa Pattison, Albert Zomaya, Matjaz Perc. 2021-06-09. Optimal governance and implementation of vaccination programmes to contain the COVID-19 pandemic. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsos.210429

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