COVID-19 vaccination strategies depend on the underlying network of social interactions

Since the onset of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, different mitigation and management strategies limiting economic and social activities have been implemented across many countries. Despite these strategies, the virus continues to spread and mutate. As a result, vaccinations are now administered to suppress the pandemic. Current COVID-19 epidemic models need to be expanded to account for the change in behaviour of new strains, such as an increased virulence and higher transmission rate. Furthermore, models need to account for an increasingly vaccinated population. We present a network model of COVID-19 transmission accounting for different immunity and vaccination scenarios. We conduct a parameter sensitivity analysis and find the average immunity length after an infection to be one of the most critical parameters that define the spread of the disease. Furthermore, we simulate different vaccination strategies and show that vaccinating highly connected individuals first is the quickest strategy for controlling the disease.

Automated summary

Despite efforts to mitigate the spread of COVID-19 through various strategies, the virus continues to mutate and vaccines are now being administered to suppress the pandemic. Current epidemic models need to consider the behavior of new strains and an increasingly vaccinated population. Research suggests that the average immunity length post-infection is a critical parameter in defining disease spread, and vaccinating highly connected individuals first is an effective strategy for disease control.