COVID-19 vaccine coverage targets to inform reopening plans in a low incidence setting

Conway, E; Walker, CR; Baker, C; Lydeamore, MJ; Ryan, GE; Campbell, T; Miller, JC; Rebuli, N; Yeung, M; Kabashima, G; Geard, N; Wood, J; McCaw, JM; McVernon, J; Golding, N; Price, DJ; Shearer, FM

Author(s): Conway, E; Walker, CR; Baker, C; Lydeamore, MJ; Ryan, GE; Campbell, T; Miller, JC; Rebuli, N; Yeung, M; Kabashima, G; Geard, N; Wood, J; McCaw, JM; McVernon, J; Golding, N; Price, DJ; Shearer, FM;
Details: Publication Year 2023-08-30,Volume 290,Issue #2005,Page 20231437
Journal Title: Proceedings Biological Sciences
Abstract: Since the emergence of SARS-CoV-2 in 2019 through to mid-2021, much of the Australian population lived in a COVID-19-free environment. This followed the broadly successful implementation of a strong suppression strategy, including international border closures. With the availability of COVID-19 vaccines in early 2021, the national government sought to transition from a state of minimal incidence and strong suppression activities to one of high vaccine coverage and reduced restrictions but with still-manageable transmission. This transition is articulated in the national 're-opening' plan released in July 2021. Here, we report on the dynamic modelling study that directly informed policies within the national re-opening plan including the identification of priority age groups for vaccination, target vaccine coverage thresholds and the anticipated requirements for continued public health measures-assuming circulation of the Delta SARS-CoV-2 variant. Our findings demonstrated that adult vaccine coverage needed to be at least 60% to minimize public health and clinical impacts following the establishment of community transmission. They also supported the need for continued application of test-trace-isolate-quarantine and social measures during the vaccine roll-out phase and beyond.
Publisher: The Royal Society
Keywords: Adult; Humans; *COVID-19 Vaccines; SARS-CoV-2; Incidence; *COVID-19/epidemiology/prevention & control; Australia/epidemiology; Covid-19; mathematical modelling; pandemic response; public health policy; vaccination strategy
Research Division(s): Population Health And Immunity
PubMed ID: 37644838
Publisher's Version: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.1437
Open Access at Publisher's Site: https://doi.org/10.1098/rspb.2023.1437
Terms of Use/Rights Notice: Refer to copyright notice on published article.
Documents: rspb.2023.1437.pdf - (0.85MB, application/pdf)

Creation Date: 2023-09-07 09:17:07

Last Modified: 2023-09-07 09:20:21