Pulse Vaccination Strategy

The pulse vaccination strategy is a method used to eradicate an epidemic by repeatedly vaccinating a group at risk, over a defined age range, until the spread of the pathogen has been stopped. It is most commonly used during measles and polio epidemics to quickly stop the spread and contain the outbreak.

Mathematical model

Where T= time units is a constant fraction p of susceptible subjects vaccinated in a relatively short time. This yields the differential equations for the susceptible and vaccinated subjects as
:

:$\frac = \mu N - \mu S - \beta \frac S, S(n T^+) = (1-p) S(n T^-) n=0,1,2,\dots$

:$\frac = - \mu V, V(n T^+) = V(n T^-) + p S(n T^-) n=0,1,2,\dots$

Further, by setting , one obtains that the dynamics of the susceptible subjects is given by:

:$S^*(t) = 1- \fracE^$

and that the eradication condition is:Stone L., Shulgin, B., Agur, Z. Theoretical examination of the pulse vaccination policy in the SIR epidemic model. Mathematical and computer modelling, 2000, 31 (4), 207-215

:$R_0 \int_^ < 1$

See also

* Critical community size
* Epidemic model
* Herd immunity
* Pulse Polio
* Ring vaccination
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