Our latest findings published in BMC Public Health discuss the importance of considering various outcomes, beyond just preventing severe disease and mortality, when formulating COVID-19 vaccination strategies. They highlight using quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) and inequality indicators as additional information for policymakers.
In our study, we employ a mathematical transmission model to analyze the dynamics of COVID-19, considering factors like immunity levels, vaccine effectiveness against variants of concern (VOCs), and age-specific vaccination characteristics.
Using data from Belgium, we explored the impact of different vaccination strategies, particularly focusing on vaccinating children aged 5-11 and administering booster doses to adults. The simulations indicate that increasing vaccine uptake in children could reduce disease incidence and ICU occupancy, while enhanced booster doses for adults could lead to significant QALY gains, particularly in preventing infections associated with the Omicron variant. Both scenarios suggest potential decreases in the need for non-pharmaceutical interventions, which could benefit economic activity and mental well-being.
The study underscores the importance of considering not only COVID-19 mortality but also disease-related morbidity when assessing the overall health burden. Glad to share these findings and congratulations and thank you to all the researchers involved!
Read the full story: https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-024-18576-w
