Optimizing COVID-19 vaccination programs during vaccine shortages

Abstract

During the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, vaccine shortages occur due to various types of constraints, including interruptions in production/supply, higher-than-expected demands, and a lack of resources such as healthcare capacity to administer vaccines. Scientifically informed epidemic models have been utilized as pivotal tools to optimize the immunization programs subject to vaccine shortages. The current paper reviews modelling methods to optimize the allocation strategies of vaccines with differential efficacies by using various model-based outcome measures. The models reviewed in this study are expected to be adopted and extended to make contributions on policy development for disease control under the vaccine shortage scenario.