Optimising vaccine allocation for cholera epidemics

Cholera is an acute diarrhoeal disease. If left untreated, it can be fatal within hours. Oral cholera vaccines, administered in two doses, are a powerful tool for short-term control. When resources are limited, single-dose vaccination has been used as a way to stretch the supply. However, single-dose vaccination is less effective. In addition, cholera vaccines are less effective in young children, who are disproportionally affected by the disease. Decision makers are left to choose whether to use one- or two-dose vaccination for those who will benefit the most or those who are at the most risk. Determining who, how, and when to vaccinate are decisions that public health officials usually take under immense pressure, often resulting in sub-optimal use of the available resources. 

We propose using mathematical models paired with optimisation algorithms to determine optimal vaccine allocation, thereby providing an evidence-based rationale for vaccine distribution.