Data supports early COVID-19 vaccination for essential workers

Date:
October 13, 2021
Source:
PLOS
Summary:
In areas where COVID-19 vaccines are limited, vaccinating essential
workers before older adults can reduce infections and deaths,
according to a modeling study.



FULL STORY ==========================================================================
In areas where COVID-19 vaccines are limited, vaccinating essential
workers before older adults can reduce infections and deaths, according
to a modeling study published this week in the new open-access journal
PLOS Global Public Health by Nicola Mulberry of Simon Fraser University, Canada, and colleagues.


==========================================================================
In vaccination campaigns against COVID-19, many jurisdictions are using
age- based rollout strategies, reflecting the higher risk of severe
outcomes of infections in older adults. However, as new data emerge on
the effectiveness of approved COVID-19 vaccines in reducing infection
and transmission as well as minimizing severe outcomes and "Long COVID," vaccine rollout strategies must be reassessed.

In the new study, researchers modeled the impact of five different
vaccination strategies on COVID-19 infections, chronic outcomes, hospitalization and deaths in British Columbia, Canada. For each vaccine rollout scenario, the rates of vaccination per day matched the projected timelines released by the British Columbia Centre for Disease Control. The scenarios varied in whether or not vaccines were distributed by age group,
and whether or not essential workers were given priority vaccination. In
all scenarios, adults aged 80 years and older were vaccinated before
any other groups.

The team found that, across a range of scenarios for COVID-19 transmission
and vaccine efficacy, vaccinating essential workers earlier gives large reductions in infections, hospitalizations, deaths, and instances of Long
COVID (with symptoms lasting longer than 28 days). In a simulated region
with limited vaccine supply and a population of 5 million, vaccinating essential workers earlier leads to an estimated 200,000 fewer infections,
600 fewer deaths, and produces a net monetary benefit of more than
$500 million USD. The authors conclude that vaccination strategies that explicitly target high-contact essential workers may be key to minimizing negative outcomes of COVID-19 during the rollout of vaccination.

Author Paul Tupper notes: "The COVID-19 pandemic has disproportionately impacted essential workers, who often have lower incomes and no
option to work from home. Our findings suggest that prioritizing
them for vaccination not only would help to reduce this substantial
disparity, but it does not even come at the cost of increased
adverse outcomes in others; rather, it is better for everyone." ========================================================================== Story Source: Materials provided by PLOS. Note: Content may be edited
for style and length.


========================================================================== Journal Reference:
1. Nicola Mulberry, Paul Tupper, Erin Kirwin, Christopher McCabe,
Caroline
Colijn. Vaccine rollout strategies: The case for vaccinating
essential workers early. PLOS Global Public Health, 2021; 1 (10):
e0000020 DOI: 10.1371/journal.pgph.0000020 ==========================================================================

Link to news story: https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2021/10/211013152150.htm

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