Epidemiological Differences in the Impact of COVID-19 Vaccination in the United States and China

Vaccines

HousseinH. Ayoub¹  Hiam Chemaitelly²  Monia Makhoul²  LaithJ. Abu-Raddad²  Shaheen Seedat² 

[1] Department of Mathematics, Statistics, and Physics, Qatar University, Doha 2713, Qatar;Infectious Disease Epidemiology Group, Weill Cornell Medicine-Qatar, Cornell University, Qatar Foundation-Education City, Doha 24144, Qatar;

关键词: severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2);    COVID-19;    coronavirus;    epidemiology;    vaccine;    mathematical model;   

DOI  :  10.3390/vaccines9030223

来源: DOAJ

【 摘 要 】

This study forecasts Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination impact in two countries at different epidemic phases, the United States (US) and China. We assessed the impact of both a vaccine that prevents infection (VE_S of 95%) and a vaccine that prevents only disease (VE_P of 95%) through mathematical modeling. For VE_S of 95% and gradual easing of restrictions, vaccination in the US reduced the peak incidence of infection, disease, and death by >55% and cumulative incidence by >32% and in China by >77% and >65%, respectively. Nearly three vaccinations were needed to avert one infection in the US, but only one was needed in China. For VE_P of 95%, vaccination benefits were half those for VE_S of 95%. In both countries, impact of vaccination was substantially enhanced with rapid scale-up, vaccine coverage >50%, and slower or no easing of restrictions, particularly in the US. COVID-19 vaccination can flatten, delay, and/or prevent future epidemic waves. However, vaccine impact is destined to be heterogeneous across countries because of an underlying “epidemiologic inequity” that reduces benefits for countries already at high incidence, such as the US. Despite 95% efficacy, actual vaccine impact could be meager in such countries if vaccine scale-up is slow, acceptance is poor, or restrictions are eased prematurely.

【 授权许可】

Unknown