Assessing direct and indirect effects of pediatric influenza vaccination in Germany by individual-based simulations.

ABSTRACT: Children have a high burden of influenza and play a central role in spreading influenza. Routinely vaccinating children against influenza may, thus, not only reduce their disease burden, but also that of the general population, including the elderly who frequently suffer severe complications. Using the published individual-based tool 4Flu, we simulated how pediatric vaccination would change infection incidence in Germany. Transmission of four influenza strains was simulated in 100,000 individuals with German demography and contact structure. After initialization with the recorded trivalent influenza vaccination coverage for 20 years (1997-2016), all vaccinations were switched to quadrivalent influenza vaccine (QIV). Scenarios where vaccination coverage of children (0.5-17-year-old) was inc

SUBMITTER: Schmidt-Ott R 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC7227695 | biostudies-literature | 2020 Apr

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature