Applying Mathematical Models to Vaccination and Epidemiology

Our first AMATH Prof Talk of the term is coming up soon! Title: Applying Mathematical Models to Vaccination and Epidemiology Speaker: Prof. Chris Bauch Abstract: Vaccine refusal has enabled previously eliminated infectious diseases--such as measles and pertussis--to re-emerge in many populations. Vaccine refusal is driven by many factors, one of which is the presence or absence of the infectious disease that the vaccine itself prevents. This suggests that disease spread and vaccine decision-making are, in fact, two parts of a single coupled system of behaviour-disease interactions. Mathematical models have a long history of application in the population biology of human pathogens, including pediatric infectious diseases, and they are increasingly applied to coupled behaviour-disease interactions as well. In this talk I will give an overview of some simple mathematical models of vaccine refusal for pediatric infectious diseases, including a discussion of what they predict and how well they match up with observational data. I will also discuss extensions of these models to the COVID pandemic. Pizza and refreshments available for PMC members.