Assessing the cost-effectiveness of annual COVID-19 booster vaccination in South Korea using a transmission dynamic model

• Published in: Frontiers in public health Vol. 11; p. 1280412
• Main Authors: Choi, Wongyeong, Shim, Eunha
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Switzerland Frontiers Media S.A 2023
• Subjects: Aged; annual vaccination; coronavirus disease; Cost-Benefit Analysis; cost-effectiveness; COVID-19; COVID-19 - prevention & control; COVID-19 vaccine; COVID-19 Vaccines; Humans; Middle Aged; Republic of Korea; South Korea; Vaccination; Republic of Korea; COVID-19; cost-effectiveness; SARS-CoV-2; South Korea; annual vaccination; mathematical modeling; COVID-19 vaccine; coronavirus disease
• ISSN: 2296-2565; 2296-2565
• DOI: 10.3389/fpubh.2023.1280412

We evaluated the cost-effectiveness of South Korea's planned annual coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) booster campaign scheduled for October 2023. An age-structured mathematical model was used to analyze the public impacts and cost-effectiveness of vaccination across three vaccination strategies: uniform allocation and prioritizing those over 65 or those over 50 years old. We calculated the incremental cost per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) from both healthcare and societal perspectives. The maximum vaccine cost for cost-effectiveness was also identified. Our analysis highlights the cost-effectiveness of South Korea's annual COVID-19 vaccination program in mitigating health and economic impacts. The most cost-effective strategy is uniform vaccine allocation, offering the lowest incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) at US$ 25,787/QALY. However, with a relatively high attack rate, the strategy prioritizing individuals over 65 years emerges as more cost-effective, lowering the ICER to US$ 13,785/QALY. Prioritizing those over 50 was less cost-effective. All strategies were cost-saving from a societal perspective, with cost-effectiveness being more sensitive to vaccine price than to its effectiveness. Our results imply a potential strategy shift in current vaccination plan, with uniform vaccine distribution being more cost-effective than prioritizing older adults. Early estimation of viral transmissibility and vaccine effectiveness is crucial in determining the most cost-effective vaccine allocation approach.